LffiRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,  N.J. 

The  George  J.  Finney 

Collection  of  Shaker  Literature 

Given  in  Memory  of  His  Uncle 

The  Rev.  John  Clark  Finney 

Class  of  1907 


REPLY 

TO  THE 
CALLED  A 

•REVIEW  OF  THE  PORTRAITURE  OF  SHAKERISiVJ," 

WITH 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SICKNESS  aND  DEATH 

Or 

BETSV  DYER  ; 

A  SKETCH  OF  THE  JOURNEY  OF^THE  AUTHOR  : 
AND 

TESTZMOKZSS  F&OZC  SEVEBAX.  PEBSOXT9. 


BY  MARY  M.  DYER, 

Author  of  the  "  Portraitut^  of  Shakerism. 


•*  Wt  both  tabor,  and  mjfer  rtproach,  bftawe  vfe  (nut  in  the  living 
Grtft"— I  Tim.  iv.  10. 


COxrcoBS : 

iPRIKTED  FOR  THE  AUTHOR. 
1824.. 


PREFACE. 

It  is  a  thing  unexpected  for  me,  to  appea 
again  in  a  publication  of  this  kind.     But  th( 
old  Pharaoh  (or  Shakers)  will  not  let  mt 
go.     They  have   again  produced  a  publica- 
tion, the  materials  of  which  appear  to  have 
been  obtained  through  the  greatest  intrigue, 
oppression  and  fallacy  of  any  collection  ever 
heard  of.     It  is  strange  to  me,  that  people 
will  be   so  foolish  as  to  fight  against  light 
and  truth,  when  their  own  conscience  anc 
knowledge  bears  witness   against  them.     It 
is  hard  for  them  to  kick  against  the  truth 
it  is  like  fire-brands  at  the  tails  of  the  foxes 
which  caused  the  destruction  of  the  Philis 
tine's  corn.     I  hope  the  truth  will  proven 
their  gathering  so    great   a  harvest  amon^ 
the  innocent  youth  as  they  have  done, 
don't  wish  to  contend  for  any  thing  bu 
truth. 

I  make  the  following  remarks,  and  leav 
it  with  the  public  to  judge. 

M.  M,  D. 


t^cpob 


.N  the  Shaker  hooir,  callctl  a  Reviexo,  P>^g©  5,  they; 
ate,  "  Whereas  there  i^  now  before  the  pubjic  a 
^bellons  publication,  cntilled  a  "•  Portraiture  of  Sha- 
.erism,"  pulilished  by  Mary  M.  Dyer,  the  materials 
f  which  she  and  her  accomplices  have  beeU  mort  than 
iix  years  in  colleciing.'''' 

As  to  the  time,  places,  and  persons  who  assisted 
me,  1  offer  the  following  statcnieDt : 

In  the  year  1818, 1  petitioned  the  second  time  for 
the  liberty  of  my  children,  which,  by  fraud,  were 
kept  among  the  Shakers.  I  found  no  redress.  The 
reasons  offered  by  the  Committee  were,  there  was- 
r»eed  of  more  witnesses  of  the  same  nature — if  those 
could  be  produced  there  would  be  a' law  of  protec- 
tion. I  was  sensible  such  might  be  easily  obtained, 
as  many  people,  who  had  left  the  Shakers,  were 
acquainted  with  similaj*  circumstances.  Being 
willing  to  do  all  possible  for  redress,  I  moved  for- 
ward in  my  duty — which  led  me  among  strangers  ; 
nothing  but  a  mother's  dearest  afTcctions  could  in- 
duce me. 

My  finding  the  Shakers  n  banditti,  caused  Such  a 
dread,  thai  at  times  I  declined,  when  the  weight  of 
the  cause  so  rolled  on  my  feelings,  1  was  reduced 
to  a  sick  bed.  After  suffering  days,  with  much 
reasoning  in  my  mind,  I  would  again  proceed.  All 
people  were  strangers,  and  1  w^ent  where  T  was 
recommended  to  go  by  clirisiian  friends  ;  and  ever 
requested  the  people  lo  It-ll  me  the  truth,  and  I 
wanted  nothing  but  the  truth.  1  was  not  in  the 
presence  of  but  three  when  the  Justice  gave  to  thetn 
their  oaths  on  all  those  attested,  which  were  Joshua 


Stevens,  Mehitable  Pattee,  and  Clement  Beck,  as 
follows  : 

I,  Clement  Beck,  of  Weare,  do  testify,  that  I  am  son  oi 
Henry  and  Alice  Beck,  formerly  of  Concord,  N.  H. 
They  joined  the  Shakers  when  I  was  a  child — moved 
to  Canterbrury,  N.  H.  where  1  lived  with  my  parents  » 
short  time  ;  then  was  placed  in  a  family  of  Shakers, 
under  the  care  of  Ezekiel  Morrill.  Here  1  began  to 
learn  sorrow  ;  I  worked  in  a  blacksmith's  shop,  and 
from  eleven  years  old  to  fourteen,  1  not  only  worked 
hard  days,  but  woi'ked  many  a  time  all  night,  heading 
nails.  If  1  declined,  my  master  would  swing  his  cane 
over  my  head,  and  say,"  I  v/ill  beat  you  until  the  blood 
runs  down  in  streams."  I  secretly  sent  to  my  father 
that  1  wished  to  go  away — he  came  after  me.  My  el- 
der told  me  I  should  certainly  go  to  hell  if  1  went  away 
— he  talked  so  frightful,  I  dare  not  go.  In  anguish  I 
fell  to  the  ground,  where  1  cried  myself  to  sleep — 
through  much  fear  1  got  away,  and  stayed  in  my  father's 
family  about  a  year— then,  by  orders  from  the  ministry, 
1  was  placed  in  the  church  family  to  live.  I  had  broth- 
ers and  sisters  in  the  church,  an  equal  share  of  mj 
father's  property  carried  with  us.  This  by  order — I 
was  allotted  to  the  blacksmith's  trade,  where  I  worked 
very  hard.  After  1  got  the  trade,  a  day's  work  for  me 
was  to  make  eight  hoes,  or  six  scythes,  or  six  axes  in  a 
da}'.  I  worked  seven  years,  and  was  not  allowed,  nei- 
ther did  1  go  forty-five  rods  from  the  shop  ;  then  I 
passed  my  bounds,  went  a  few  rods  beyond  a  rise — 
where  1  could  have  more  prospect — for  this  I  was  pun- 
ished, though  I  was  twenty-two  years  old.  In  conse- 
quence of  hard  work,  I  have  been  so  decrepid  and  ia 
such  pain,  that  I  could  not  lay  upon  a  bed  ;  what  sleep 
1  had,  for  three  months  at  a  time,  was  when  setting  in  a 
chair — meantime  work  hard  days,  They  allow  of  no 
indulgence — they  teach  their  subjects  that  the  more 
work  they  do,  the  greater  treasure  they  will  lay  up  in- 
heaven — and  such  as  will  nut  work  for  this  prize,  are 
puuished  to  make  them  work.     I  igstpo  time,  but  work- 


Cil  in  this  manner  until  1  was  thirty-eight   years  old — 
the  last  of  the   time  1   had   the   care  of  the   shop — al- 
though, for  a  trifling  offence,  they  treated  me  so  unrea- 
sonable, .1  was  glad  to   leave   them,     I  was  brought   to 
such  distress,  life   was  no  object,  if  I    could  have  died 
suddenly — but  to  stay  as  I  was,  in  such  a  lingering  tor- 
mented dying  state.     To  go  away,   I  thought  would  be 
offensive  to  God — and  I  was  in  years,  and  ignorant  of 
education  or  information — nothing  to  help  myself  with 
but  my  labor — and  the  best  of  my  days  for  health  were 
gone.     They  would  not  allow  me  any  thing  for  my  work 
— meantime  said,  I    had   done    to    the    amount  of  two 
thousand  dollars  worth,  extra   of  my  expense  to  them  ; 
neither  would   they  let  me  have  so  much  with  interest 
as  I  had  of  my    father's  property.     The   reason    they 
gave  was,  because  I  had   signed   their  Covenant  ;  this 
is  required  soon  alter  we  become  of  age.     I  knew  noth- 
ing about    law,   or  the  effect   of  the  Covenant  when  I 
signed  it.     The  elder  said  it   was  the  orders,  and  if  I 
did   not  sign  it  I   should  be  out  of  union — and  could  not 
be  owned,  and  if  1  held  back,  God  would  hold  my  bless- 
ing from  me — but  if  I  would  sign   1   should    come   into 
full    union,    and  should    have    that  heavenly    treasure 
which  I  had  been  laboring  for.     I  believed  and  obeyed, 
and  endeavored  to  be  as    faithful  to  them   as  possible — 
but  never  found  the  blessing   which  was  promised — but 
fognd    many   grievous  hours.     Many  of  their  subjects. 
I  think,   would    not  stay  there  under  such  slavery  and 
bondage,   if  they   thought  there  was  any  other  way  for 
eternal  happiness  ;  but  there  is  such  absolute  testimo- 
nies against  all  other  way  of  salvation,  it  weakens  their 
c  )ntidence  in  every  thing  else,  and  destroys  the  power 
of  mind  to  escape.     At  the  time   I  offended  them,  they 
falsely  accused  me  of  crimes,   then   requested  me  to 
kneel  before  the  Society  and  own  it — I  dare  not,  1  knew 
it  was  false,  and  believed  they  did  it  to  shame  me  be- 
fore the  Society  ;  reason  would  teach  that  I  was  vexed 
with    abusing  language  in   addition,  all    of  which  was 
very  distressing  ;  as  I  saw  no  relief,  hard  work  in  com- 
parison was  a  pleasure  to  it  ;  because  I  would  not  own 
A2 


6 

this  scandal,  I  wa3  sent  forty  miles  to  another  Societj, 
among  strangers. 

I  will  name  some  circumstances  of  cruelly  on  others. 
1  was  kept  so  recluse,  1  had  but   little   opportunity  to 
know  what  passed  on  others  ;  and  they  are  not  allowed 
to  tell  their  troubles  or  punishments  to  each  other.     A 
«ister  of  mine,  by  the  name  of  Hannah  Beck,  who  lived 
in  the  same  family   with  me,  was  very  industrious,  be- 
came sick,  and  was  some  deranged,  but  was  gentle  ; 
she  being  ill,  refused  to  work,  as  they  said.     They  or- 
dered me  to  make  a  chair,  that  they  could  confine  her 
to  a  spinning  wheel ;  and  of  sufficient  length  to  spin  on 
the  great  wheel  ;  also  to  reach  her  couch,  which  lay 
upon  the  floor,  for  her  to  sleep  on.     This  was  in  cold 
weather,*  and  the  place  she  was  confined  in  was  a  wash- 
shop,  in  a  chamber  over  the  wash-room,  and  had  a  sin- 
gle  floor  with   open  cracks,  which  made   her  uncom- 
fortable.    There   was  a  small  stove  in  the  room,  but 
she  was  chained  so  far  from  it,  that  she  could  not  reach 
it,  and  was  dependant  on  others  for  w  ood  and  fire, — it 
was  an  apartment  separate  from  the  men's  concerns. 
However,  as  I  was  passing  there,  \  heard  her  crying 
and  lamenting.     1  went  to  the  shop,  and  looked  through 
ihe  cracks  ;  she  saw  me,  and  said,  "  do  make  me  some 
fire,  and  light  my  pipe.''     She  begged  again  and  again  ; 
my  feelings  were  sensibly  struck,  and  1  attempted  to  go 
in,  but  saw   two  of  the  sisters  coming ;  and  knowir  r  I 
was  out  of  my  order,  1  stept  a  little  aside,  and  heard 
her  continue  in  supplication,  and  think  she  got  no  re- 
lief.    Again  I  was  passing  there,  heaixl  contention  and 
liard  talk  ;  went  to  Hannah's  room,  and  there  saw  one 
of  the  leading  sisters,  with  a  large  stick  in  hor   hand, 
threatening  Hannah  to  make  her  work.    My  sister  said, 
'•'  I  am  sick  and  cannot  spin."     I  saw  the  woman  strike 
her  three  times  with  the  stick.     It  would  not  do  for 
me  to  interfere  ;  1  could  not  bear  it,  and  went  away. 
I  afterwards  heard  that  they  made  her  work,  and  that 
they  stripped  her  a  number  of  times  naked,  and  whip- 

*  It  appears  Ihey  got  lired  of  vi'n.tching  her,  as  k  was  cold.-— jJw/ftor. 


ped  her  ;  afler  that,  they  sent  her  to  what  they  called 
world  ;  and  she  became  better  iu  health,  and  regular 
in  her  faculties. 

She  again  was  induced  to  live  with  the  Shakers,  and 
was  placed  in  Enfxeld  Society,  in  N.  H.  Just  before  I 
left  the  Shakers,  1  was  sent  to  Enfield,  and  lived  in  the 
same  family,  and  there  saw  her  treated  cruelly.  She 
was  out  of  health,  and  much  deciepid  with  the  rheu- 
matism, and  her  stomach  bones  and  joints  were  much 
drawn  out  of  place  in  consequence.  She  worked  in  the 
dairy  to  assist  others,  and  brought  Avater  for  this  use 
from  a  distance,  as  they  were  depending  on  water 
brought  artificially,  Avhich  had  become  mostly  dry,  as 
It  was  a  dry  season.  She  frequently  passed  the  shop 
where  I  worktd,  when  I  took  her  pails,  and  carried 
her  water  for  her.  She  was  then  so  lame  she  could 
scarcely  walk,*  and  constantly  attended  with  a  pain  in 
her  stomach.  1  left  the  Shakers  the  autumn  following, 
in  September,  1815  ;  have  since  heard  of  my  sister's, 
death,  and  was  glad  to  hear  ske  was  removed  from  her 
slavery. 

The  beautiful  appearance  of  the  Shakers,  and  of 
their  villages,  also  their  good  deeds,  have  no  need  of 
being  spoken  of,  as  they  themselves  endeavor  to  make 
all  these  manifest.  Another  circumstance  I  minulCj 
that  light  and  understanding  may  spring  ferth. 

A  girl  by  the  name  of  Comfort  Smith,  who  was  with 
them,  I  think  was  treated  with  such  cruelty,  that  it 
shortened  her  life.  The  reason  they  gave  for  this  cru- 
elty, they  said  she  sinned  against  her  order,  which  was 
the  ministry,  as  she  lived  in  the  meeting:  house  with 
them.  They  said  she  left  the  house  at  night,  and  talk- 
ed with  the  man  on  the  watch,  who  was  set  to  guard 
the  meeting-house.  The  girl  was  chastised  different 
ways,  some  1  will  mention.  She  was  secluded  or  ab- 
sent for  a  time — then  a  writing  was  drawn,  which  was 
called  her  confession — many  of  the  Shakers  were  col- 
lected in  a  roooi,  where   she  must  kneel  in  the  midst^ 

*  1  heani  by  one  in  the  family,  thai  Hanuah  died  of  consumplioa 
•oics,-^  Autfior, 


8 

and  hear  the  confession  read.  While  they  were  read- 
ing-, she  lainted  as  lifeless.  1  was  not  an  e.ye  witness, 
being  a  youth,  Lut  was  in  a  room  underneath  the  cham- 
ber where  they  were  collected,  and  heard  the  noise 
when  she  fell,  as  1  was  afterwords  informed  rof  the 
whole  circumstance  hy  some  who  were  then  present. 
A  few  weeks  after  this,  a  number  of  us  were  called  in 
whore  she  lay  expiring  ;  she  v/as  past  speech — one 
made  a  remark  that  she  thoug-ht  she  did  not  understand 
what  they  said.  The  head  elder  said,  he  a  short  time 
before,  had  been  chastising  her,  and  had  awakened  her 
senses.  1  was  at  a  loss  to  know  why  it  was  so — he  said 
"  because  she  had  sinned  against  so  high  an  order* — if 

*  Tiie  following  st:itemeiU  is  written  by  Mary  Dyer — not  knowiug 
as  I  should  hnve  any  further  information  on  the  subject,  I  neglected  get- 
ingit  tlien  attested  to.  However,  as  I  have  learnt  the  foregoing  state- 
nient  from  Clemeut  Bpck,  I  repeats  statement  on  the  same  subject, 
(and  leave  it  for  ttie  jiresent)  which  I  received  by  the  ruoulh  of  John 
Heath,  of  Enfield,  N.  [I.  In  May,  1818,  I  was  malting  some  remark 
on  the  Shakers,  wiien  Mr.  Heath  said,  "I  have  reason  to  believe  the 
Shaker  leaders  do  not  live  in  that  purity  wlucli  they  profess  ;  from  cer- 
tain circuni>taiice.s  which  passed  while  I  lived  at  Canterl)ury."  I  was 
anxious  to  hear— he  stated,  that  "  the  Shaker  father  made  me  proii  ise 
before  I  left  Canteri'my,  not  to  say  any  thing  about  it."  I  told  him  he 
ought  to  tell  the  trutli — and  that  was  all  I  wanted."  At  the  time  1  \\vc\ 
at  Canterbury,  I  was  set  at  niglit  to  guard  the  village.  After  all  Wijs 
still,  Comfort  Smith,  who  lived  in  the  meeting-house,  came  to  me  and 
said,  she  wisiied  me  to  assist  her  in  going  away.  I  asked  her  why  she 
should  be  discontented,  knowing  that  was  considered  the  most  holy  and 
higi'.est  station  among  the  pei>ple — she  said  her  fears  were  such  she  daie 
not  stay,  and  that  fallier  (Job  Bishop,)  was  rude  with  l:er — he  v.-ould 
claspher  in  his  arms,  liold  iier  upon  his  lap,  hug  and  kiss  lier — histreat- 
ment  to  lier  was  such,  she  felt  in  danger."  "I  did  not,"  said  Heath, 
"  then  think  her  in  so  great  danger  as  perhaps  1  ought — was  anxious  to 
have  the  rest  of  the  Society  know  how  the  father  managed,  accordingly 
reported  the  same  toothcis  — it  soon  get  to  the  father's  ears — I  was  call- 
ed in  question  by  him,  and  told  him  what  Comfort  said.  Father  owned 
that  she  told  the  truth—"  but,"  said  he,  "  I  took  such  liberties,  that  she 
might  he  contented,  and  not  wish  to  go  to  the  world  ;"  and  further  said, 
"  you  have  broke  your  oiders  in  hearing  her  coraplair.t,  she  has  also 
broke  her  orders  in  speaking  to  you — now,  if  you  will  say  nothing  about 
it,  you  shall  be  forgiven,  and  have  your  choice,  to  go  to  Enfield  or  stay 
lieie"— he  knew  I  had  previously  desired  to  go  to  Enfield  to  live— by 
which  means  I  consented  to  his  proposals,  went  to  Enfield,  and  knew 
no  more  about  it."  Mr.  Heath  appears  like  a  canNid,  steady  man  ; 
was  he  broHght  under  oall),  I  think  he  would  attest  to  the  same,  if  not 
word  for  word.  Mr.  Heath  is  some  embanassed  with  debt — and  per- 
haps the  Shakers  by  means  of,  may  try  to  obstruct  the  truth;     But  this 


■  ^he  did  not  confess  she  could  not  die  in  peace  ;  it  hath 
caused  such  judgment  of  God  upon  her,  it  hath  short- 
ened her  days."  Those  judgments  spoken  of,  a&e  pun- 
ishments from  the  head  Shakers,  as  I  shall  hereafter 
shew.  There  was  four  of  the  most  sprightly  females 
who  went  one  after  the  other  into  the  meeting-house 
to  live  with  the  ministry,  and  all  died  when  adults,  and 
a  short  time  after  they  were  allotted  to  this  situation. 
Their  names  were  Hannah  Looge,  Comfort  Smith,  Ma- 
ry Chase,  and  Abigail  Sanborn.  There  .ire  tw©  men, 
and  two  women  living  together  in  the  meeting  house. 
These  give  orders  for  the  rest  of  the  Society  to  obey — 
which  are  called  gifts  from  God  ;  at  times,  those  gifts 
come  in  severity,  which  are  called  the  judgments  of 
God — other  times  they  shew  favor,  which  is  called  mer- 
cies from  God.  The  Shakers  are  so  taught,  that  they 
think  their  salvation,  or  damnation,  is  pending  on  their 
superiors.  Those  give  orders  for  such  a  man  and  wo- 
man to  be  united  as  one  in  the  church.  They  also  state, 
that  these  have  arrived  to  such  a  state  of  perfection, 
that  they  do  not  commit  sin  ;  there  are  many  coupled 
out  in  this  manner.  There  are  different  grades  among 
them — those  which  are  behind,  are  left  ignbrant  of  the 
liberty  of  the  forward  ones — however,  this  we  know, 
they  are  more  together,  the  diflferent  sexes.  I  have 
seen  Job  Bishop  with  his  arms  around  Hannah  Good- 
rich— he  said  it  was  no  sin,  as  he  had  no  desire.  Those 
were  the  father  and  mother  of  Canterbury  and  Enfield 
Societies.  They  would  punish  others  to  extremes,  for 
putting  their  hand  on  the  different  sexes.  The  elders 
and  eldresses  have  their  apartments  wherein  we  must 
not  go,  without  liberty.  They  lodge  in  those  rooms, 
which  are  in  upper  lofts  in  the  dining  or  dwelling  house. 
The  father  and  mother  sleep  in  the  third  loft  in  the 
meeting-house,  while  their  waiters,  as  they  say,  sleep 
in  the  second  loft.    The  common  people  in  shops,  some 

1  would  have  all  remennbcr,  that  there  is  a  powciful  God,  who  will  not 
hold  any  one  guiltless,  who  seeks  tpcovei  thetiuthby  falsehood,  "be- 
cause there  is  \viath,  beware  lest  he  take  thcc  away  wiibu  stroke  :  tlien 
•a  great  ransom  cannul  deliver  ihee."    Job  xxviii,  18, 


10 

lU  the  dwelling-house.  My  education  is  poor  ;  when  I 
was  a  child  and  a  youth,  the  Shakers'did  not  allow  their 
subjects  to  have  learning — what  1  have,  I  obtained  by 
stealth,  contrary  to  orders — since  that  the  authority  has 
compelled  them  to  give  their  children  some  learning — 
and  1  desire  that  the  authority  would  remove  other  of 
their  evils^  1  think  it  is  wrong  for  their  conveuant  (o 
have  force  in  law  ;  when  they  compel  their  subjects,  (in 
their  ignorance)  to  sign  it,  and  thereby  wrong  them 
out  of  their  just  rights. 

The  Shakers  call  themselves  deceivers,  and  yet  true 
— they  consider  it  a  crime  to  speak  against  their  way, 
though  it  is  true  ;  and  any  thing  they  could  say,  or  do, 
that  appeared  to  be  upholding  their  society,  was  right. 
If  they  give  yon  orders  to  do  or  say  that  which  you 
think  is  wrong  and  false,  you  must  obey,  and  the  sin 
will  fall  on  the  one  that  orders  you,  as  they  say,  there- 
by they  make  their  subjects  do  and  say  almost  any  thing. 
1  have  known  them,  when  people  were  coming  to  in- 
spect their  schools,  make  some  write  composition — then 
another  copy  it  off  better,  and  show  the  copy,  saying  it 
was  the  former  ones'  writing.  I  have  known  others 
make  a  mark  on  paper,  then  another  write  composition 
on  the  same  paper,  and  call  it  the  person's  writing  who 
made  the  mark. 

It  is  a  common  thing  for  the  Shakers  to  refuse  people 
seeing  their  relations  ;  they  have  different  ways  of  de- 
ceiving. I  was  one  day  with  the  Deacon,  when  some 
people  came  and  inquired  alter  their  relations  desiring 
to  see  them.  Deacon  Winkley  spake  out  to  me,  said, 
"Clement,  go  and  tell  such  such  and  persons,  that  their 
friends  are  here,  and  wish  to  see  them  ;"  he  stepped  a 
little  one  side,spBike  low,  and  said, "  do  you  go  out  around 
(he  shed,  and  stay  there  a  little  time,  then  com~B  and 
tell  the  people,  their  relations  do  not  wish  to  see  them  ;" 
which  1  obeyed.  Thus  the  strangers  went  away  disap- 
pointed in  not  seeing  their  relations.  I  have  known 
them  do  similar  to  this  many  times.  They  say  these 
things  are  deceiving  satan,  :fhd  true  to  God.  Ttiey  call 
themselves  the  kingdom  oi'  peace  ;  yet   I   have  seen 


11 

more  contention  among  them  in  one  year,  than  I  have 
among  what  they  call  world,  since  1  have  left  the  Sha- 
kers, which  is  three  j'ears.  I  saw  one  man  so  mad  with 
another,  that  he  seized  him  with  his  teeth,  and  bit  him 
so  the  wound  had  to  be  wrapped  up.  1  afterwards  heard 
the  biter  say,  he  had  committed  no  sin  for  twenty  years. 
They  say  the  word  of  God  is  revealed  by  the  word  of 
mouth,  from  the  leaders.  Some  among  them  profess  to 
converse  with  departed  spirits.  I  have  heard  Job  Bish- 
op say,  speaking  of  himself,  "  1  have  seen  the  Apostles, 
and  they  told  me,  my  daj'  was  greater  than  theirs  ;  and 
that  I  vv'as  before  them  in  glory  ;"  and  further  said,  "The 
spirit  of  Hannah  Looge,  came  to  me,  the  night  she  ex- 
pired, and  wished  to  gather  with  us,  (the  ministry,)  but 
1  told  her  she  must  gc»  to  the  family  that  was  her  order." 
She  was  dismissed  from  the  meeting-house  and  ministry, 
about  three  months  before,  because  she  was  sick.  This 
is  a  skort  sketch  of  the  Shakers,  being  in  haste. 

CLEMENT  BECK. 

Siaie  of  mw-Hampshire,  I  y,  „ 

Hii.LSBOBouGH,  ss.     ^  weare,  Sept.  J4, 1B18. 

Attested  before  me, 

ISRAEL  PEASLEE,  Just.  Peace. 
Clement  Beck  is  a  regular  citizen. 

The  Shakers  made  him  deny  some  part  of  it,  as 
you  will  see  by  the  following  : 

This  certifies,  that  September  14,  1818,  Clement 
Beck  came  to  my  house,  where  I  gave  hiA  his  oath  to 
an  affidavit  which  1  have  since  .seen  in  a  book  called  "  A 
Portraiture  of  Shakerism,"  published  by  Mary  M.  Dyer. 
As  it  was  something  new  to  me,  I  criticised  him  on  the 
subject  :  he  was  frank  and  told  me  the  particulars.  1 
further  state  that  I  have  seen  much  of  it  contradicted 
by  a  statement  in  the  N.  H.  Patriot,  April  19,  1824. 
Said  Beck  is  a  neighbor  ;  I  went  to  him,  to  know 
how  he  could  get  along  in  denying  it.  He  said  the 
Shakers  said  if  he  did  not  lake  some  of  it  back  they 
would  take  all  his  property  from  him.  He  does  not  pre- 
tend to  deny  any  sentence  named  in  the  stat^ntent  given 
before  me.     I  feel  clear  in  my  ipind,  that  the  Shaker^, 


12 

by  threatening,  imposed  on  his  ignorance.  I  aonsider' 
Beck  a  civil  industrious  citizen,but  his  being  brought  up 
among  the  Shakers,  caused  that  lack  of  information 
which  he  had  need  of  for  protection. 

ISRAEL  PEASLEE,  Jus.  Peace. 
Weare,  July  9,  1824. 

In  October,  1818, 1  finished  my  task  ;  returned 
to  Enfield  among  my  friends  ;  began  to  prepare 
clothes  for  winter — when  my  husband,  to  embar- 
rass me,  compelled  me  to  go  among  strangers,  un- 
der a  pretence  of  finding  me  a  home,  when  pre- 
viously he  had  refused  rne  before  the  selectmen 
and  many  other  witnesses. 

"  I,  Ruth  Payne,  wife  of  William  Payne,  of  Lebanon, 
N.  H.  do  certify,  that  in  October,  1818,  Joseph  Dyer, 
of  Enfield,  N.  H.  engaged  us  to  board  his  wife  Mary. 
She  came  in  November.  When  she  came,  her  health 
was  bad — she  appeared  to  be  oppressed  with  trouble — 
he  said  he  should  find  his  wife  work,  and  lay  out  the 
benefit  to  his  own  profit.  She  said  she  had  not  provid- 
ed any  winter  clothes,  and  he  had  taken  her  from  her 
employment* — said  she  was  so  far  irom  her  friends  she 
should  suffer,  if  he  did  not  get  hw  some  clothes.  In 
four  weeks,  he  came  again,  but  brought  her  no  clothes. 
She  was  sick,  and  I  lent  her  clothes.  I,  with  my  hus- 
band, talked  to  Mr.  Dyer  about  it,  and  were  dissatisfied 
with  him.  After  six  weekly  he  brought  her  a  few  arti- 
cles, which  she  said  Was  the  only  clothing  he  had  found 
her  in  five  years.  He  did  not  deny  it.  In  my  acquain- 
tance with  Mrs.  Dyer,  she  appeared  like  a  peaceable, 
industrious  woman,  behaved  herself  with  prudence,  and 
I  esteem  her  piety. 

RUTH  PAYNE." 

The  Shakers  findTmg  Mr.  Payne's  family  to  con- 
demn their  proceedings,  I  was  moved  to  a  Mrs* 
Flood's,  who  is  a  friend  to  every  one's  face.    While 

*In  the  fall  and  wioter,  I  nroikedat  tailoring. 


:3 

at  Mrs.  Flood's,  my  husband  came  in  my  absence, 
and  took  a  number  of  pounds  of  my  wool ;  he  also 
had  the  privilege  of  searching  my  trunk  foi  my  pa- 
pers— but  I  had  carelessly  laid  them  in  another 
place.  At  another  time  1  was  out,  when  I  saw  my 
husband  go  to  my  boarding  house  ;  1  went  across 
the  field,  went  into  one  end  of  the  house,  while  he 
was  in  the  other  end.  I  caught  my  papers  and  went 
to  a  neighbor's.  He  sought  every  way  possible 
to  embarrass  me,  but  the  Lord  made  for  me  friends. 
When  no  other  way  would  answer  their  evil  minds, 
my  husband,  by  his  authority  as  a  husband,  placed 
me  in  confinement  among  the  Shakers,*  where,  for 
five  weeks,  1  had  not  a  change  of  garment  ;  and  I 
was  not  permitted  to  write  a  word  to  my  relations, 
who  were  at  a  distance  from  me.  The  Shakers 
were  unwilling  to  let  me  speak  to  any  person  sepa- 
rate from  them.  I  was  shut  in  this  place  tor  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  my  papers.  [See  Mary  Willis 
and  Polly  CUffoi-d^s  siatetnmts — Portrailure  of  Sha- 
kerism,  pp.  400,  401.] 

*I,  Rhoda  Flood,  do  certify,  there  is  a  statement  in  the  N.  H.  Patriot, 
published  in  my  name,  wherein  is  some  mistake ;  first,  the  writing 
spoken  of,*  which  was  brought  the  first  time  the  Shakers  came  far  Mrs. 
■Dyer's  things,  it  was  brought  to  my  husband.  Second, — the  trunk, 
spoken  of,  was  mine,  with  contents  of  Mrs.  Dyer's  ;  this  trunk,  with  its 
contents,  Pettingiil,  a  Shaker,  wished  me  to  give  up,  and  offered  nie 
the  money  for,  wliile  she  was  shut  up  with  tliera.  Tliis  hath  since  oc- 
curred to  my  mind.  I  thought  Mrs.  Dyer  meant  her  trunk.  I  feel  it  a 
duty  to  correct  this  mistake,  that  she -shall  not  lay  under  this  blaine. 

RHODA  FLOOD. 

Attest, — Nathaniel  Flood,  husband  to  Rhoda. 
Marcia  Flood. 

Mrs  Flood  also  said,  the  Shakers  betrayed  her  in  another  statement, 
making  her  deny  one  given  in  the  Portraiture.  When  I  shew  her  the 
original,  with  her  name  signed,  she  said  she  remembered  the  circum- 
stance, and  told  the  particulars.  This  I  leave,  as  it  is  of  no  conse- 
quence. J 

•  This  was  an  order  with  my  name  signed  to  it,  written  and  gent  wjtUout 
my  knowledge. 

B 


14 

I,  Joshua  Stevens,  of  Enfield,  N.  H.  do  certify,  that  in 
the  year  ITS'?,  two  men,  Ebenezer  Cooley  and  Israel 
Chancy,  came  to  this  town  ;  called  themselves  men  of 
God,  and  ministers  of  the  gospel.  They  said  Christ 
had  come  the  second  time  to  judge  the  world  ;  had 
made  hv>  second  appearance  in  Ann  Lee,  and  that  she 
was  the  woman  spoken  of  in  Rev.  xii.,  clothed  with  the 
sun.  and  that  she  was  in  the  resurrection,  judging  the 
world.  They  asserted,  that  in  four  years  the  earth 
would  lose  its  increase,  and  all  that  did  not  obey  their 
testimony  would  be  swept  off  by  war,  famine  and  pes- 
tilence !  They  said  they  considered  a  lease  of  a  farm 
for  four  years,  as  good  as  a  deed ;  for  they  (the  Shakers) 
should  live  and  reign  a  thousand  years.  They  manifest- 
ed great  power,  and  told  what  was  done  at  the  mother 
church ;  that  they  restored  broken  bones,  healed  the 
sick,  &c.  I  exercised  every  mean  possible,  to  know  if 
there  ever  was  an  instance  of  miraculous  healing  among 
them;  but  have  never  learned  an  instance  of  .the  kind  ; 
instead  of  healing,  they  have  brought  on  many  deep 
wounds.  By  their  fair  appearance,  and  severe  testimo- 
ny against  sin,  they  cast  a  mist  over  the  minds  of  most 
of  the  people  in  this  town,  who  fell  in  with  their  doc- 
trine ;  some  have  since  escaped.  Such  havock  was 
made  in  families,  as  is  past  imagination  to  any,  only 
those  who  are  acquainted  with  similar — husbands  and 
wives  contending — mothers  deprived  of  their  children, 
and  brought  into  a  forlorn  state — there  has  been  more 
or  less  such  wounds  until  the  present  day.  The  sum- 
mer of  1819.  I  heard  they  had  a  woman  by  the  name 
of  Mary  Dyer  in  continement — went  six  miles  to  the 
Shakers  to  know  if  it  was  true.  1  found  her  under  strict 
watch  by  her  husband  and  another  Shaker — she  ap- 
peared disheartened  and  out  of  health — she  said  it  was 
about  foui'  weeks  since  she  had  any  clothf^s  to  change — 
was  desirous  to  have  some  clothes,  if  she  could  not  have 
,  her  liberty.  The  appearance  of  her  situation  was  af- 
fecting. Knowing  the  Shakers'  despotic  government,  I 
made  many  proposals  for  her  release.     1  offered  to  be. 


15 

come  bound  to  any  amount  that  she  shuuld  return,  ii 
they  IV  on  Id  liberate  her  until  ^hc  could  get  her  clothes. 
Her  husband  positively  refused  every  proposal.  I  ask- 
ed him  why  he  was  not  willing  to  let  her  go  ?  He  said, 
"  it  is  not  my  pleasure."  I  g;^ve  them  to  understand  if 
they  did  not  treat  her  better,  they  would  have  trouble. 
— 1  further  state  that  there  ought  to  be  a  provision  made 
'by  law  for  women  and  their  offspring,  in  case  the  hus- 
band becomes  duped  to  the  Shaker  principles.  Their 
deception  is  such,  men  of  abilities  are  liable  to  be  ru- 
ined bj'  them.  A  man  of  my  acquaintance  (John  San- 
born) was  sprightly,  well  educated  ;  yet  he  became  du- 
ped to  the  Shakers,  was  fully  of  their  faith,  believed 
they  had  power  to  save  or  damn  the  souls  of  men.  Af- 
ter much  faithful  servitude,  they  sentenced  him  to  hell !! 
He  endured  this  sentence  a  number  of  months,  found  no 
remission,  but  condemning  him  more  and  more  ;  great- 
er and  greater  torments  were  threatened — he  became 
discouraged — hanged  himself — left  a  wife  and  family  of 
children.     [  I  saw  him  just  after  he  was  taken  down.] 

JOSHUA  STEVENS. 

State,  of  JVew- Hampshire,}  ■,  ^       n   -mm 

Grafton,  ss'^  \  Lyme.  Jan.  9,  IH'zO. 

Tlien  personally   appeared  the    above-named   Joshua    Stevens,  and 
made  solemn  oatli  that  the  above,  bv  liini  sub'^cri  led,  is  just  and  true. 
Bcfoic  me,  JONATHAN  FRANKLIN,  Jw.-f.  Ptue. 

My  husband  even  said,  /  should  never  escape,  un- 
less  1  z'jould  give  up  my  papers.  1  had  no  liberty  in 
my  feelings  to  give  them  up,  though  I  perished 
there.  When  I  had  been  ths  rt  more  than  three 
weeks,  the  Shakers  asked  me,  if  I  did  not  wish  to 
see  my  children  ?  1  told  them,  "•  No;"  luid  for  t'lese 
rea«ions  :  vvhei;)  I  was  in  a  condiiion  siiit;ib!e  to  see 
them,  I  was  prohibited  ;  now  when  1  am  dirty  and 
almost  ilishearlened,  you  want  me  to  see  them, 
that  you  can  mock  at  th<  m,  saying,  "  ihere  see  your 
old  dirty  world's  mother,  full  of  trouble,  and  you 
wii'i  be  just  like  her,  if  you  go  to  the  world."  The 
children  were  sojn  conducted  in.    I  soon  found  that 


16 

u.'e  children  had  been  told  that  1  was  there  of 
choice.  Afier  the  children  came  in,  the  number  of 
persons  in  the  room  were  eleven.  There  was  but 
three  chairs,  a  shaving  horse  and  shavings,  where 
my  husband  shaved  wheel-stuff,  and  a  number  of 
large  handspikes,  which  were  kept  as  weapons  to 
defend  with,  in  case  any  should  come  to  relieve 
me.  I  had  previously  told  them,  I  thought  they 
did  not  hold  to  fighting.  The}''  said  they  had. a 
right  to  fight  "  dogs  and  sorcerers  ;  and  all  without 
the  gate  are  dogs  and  sorcerers."  When  I  began 
to  talk  with  my  children,  I  felt  very  much  overcome 
— I  told  them  I  was  ever  glad  to  see  them,  but  did 
not  wish  to  see  them  as  1  was  placed,  but  I  was  kept 
there,  and  could  not  help  myself.  My  daughter  at- 
tempted to  sooth  my  grief  ;  she  said,  "  if  you  don't 
think  you  are  confined,  you  will  not  feel  so  bad — 
I  don't  think  of  that,  and  I  do  not  feel  confined — 
and  your  clothes  do  not  look  bad.^^  I  saw  tears 
fall  from  some  of  my  children's  eyes.  Ah  !  poor 
captives, — they  left  the  room.  Awful  to  consider, 
that  any  mother  is  as  liable  to  be  parted  from  their 
children  as  I  was.  The  only  difference  in  protec- 
tion is,  the  information  which  hath  been  produced 
by  the  most  severe  sufferings  and  cruelty,  which  I 
have  endured  ;  still  some  are  short  sighted  enough 
to  look  on  me  with  derision,  because  I  am  reproach- 
ed by  Shakers  and  their  cruel  advocates — not  even 
consider  that  they  will  strive  to  injure  me  all  in 
their  power,  without  any  regard  to  truth  or  inno- 
cence. 

After  the  children  went  out,  grief  so  seized  me, 
it  set  me  puking,  until  it  seemed  insupportable.  My 
husband  said  he  thought  I  could  not  live,  while  I 
was  kept  in  this  place.  A  number  of  persons  came 
for  my  relief,  when  my  husband  said  he  would  fight 


17 

as  long  as  he  had  strength,  and  then  he  would  takelfr^, 
ihein  into  the  law,  if  they  offered  to  touch  me.  I 
was  held  in  this  condition  until  a  friendly  stranger 
helped  me  away.  A  defenceless  woman,  or  a  duped 
man,  the  Shakers  encroach  on  their  rights  as  they 
please.  I  sorrow  in  my  heart  that  1  was  ever  the 
mother  of  a  child  to  sutler.  My  health  was  so  re- 
duced in  this  prison,  that  after  my  escape,  I  was  no? 
able  to  attend  to  my  writing  for  two  years. 

Nov.  1820,  I  came  to  Concord,  N.  H.  to  have  the 
work  published.  I  shew  the  work  to  Mr.  Moore, 
and  requested  his  assistance  in  arranging  the  v:ork, 
as  it  was  in  a  promiscuous  position.  He  looked 
over  the  sheets,  said  if  he  could  find  leisure  to  at- 
tend to  the  work  himself,  h*^  .ould  do  it  from  those 
sheets  without  being  transcribed.  Shortly  he  said 
he  was  so  pressed  with  business,  he  could  not  at- 
tend to  it,  and  advised  me  to  have  the  work  care- 
fully examined  and  re-written.  I  then  applied  to 
Judge  Gale,  of  Gilmanton.  He  is  a  literary  man, 
and  a  good  judge  of  law.  I  requested  him  to  ex- 
amine the  depositions,  and  see  if  the  Shakers  could 
get  the  advantage  of  those  who  gave  them.  He 
read  the  whole  work,  assi.'-ted  in  arranging  it,  and 
in  numbering  the  pages.  After  which,  I  applied  to 
Judge  Phiibrick's  family  at  Weare,  N.  H.  for  board, 
who  himself  assisted  me  in  drawing  the  work  over.'^ 
-I  was  of  ill  health,  and  could  do  but  little  writing 
in  a  day. 

Here  I  pause,  and  bless  Providence  for  my  inabil- 
ity at  this  time,  which  cnused  those  three  men,  and 
these  only,  to  have  perfect  knowledge  of  my  pro- 
cecdings5'':^nd  whose  characters  for  good  morals  are 
not  exceeded  by  any.  These  are  thi-  persons  whom 
the  Shakers  call  my  "  accomplices."  I  asked  their 
a<f»'iceinthcgreatest  confidence.  I  shall  be  heartily 


18 

■^lad  to  have  them  say  freely  whether  they  evci- 
saw  any  attempt  of  mine  to  alter  any  statement, 
making  ft  more  unfavorable  to  ihe  Shakers. 

I  met  with  obstructions  in  printing.  In  February, 
1822,  it  was  sent  to  the  press  of  Mr.  Goss,  at  Haver- 
hill— and  was  ready  for  sale,  June,  1823. 

I  have  related  the  time  and  manner  I  was  em- 
ployed, and  the  persons  who  assisted  me.  If  the 
Shakers  had  not  confined  me,  the  work  would  have 
been  accomplished  in  eighteen  months.  What  I 
have  done,  hath  been  with  a  real  desire  to  convince 
the  Shakers  of  their  errors,  and  give  the  public  at 
large  a  knowledge  of  the  foundation  of  Shakerism. 
And  when  on  a  sick  bed,  I  have  desired  to  see  the 
work  accomplished,  (fsaring  it  would  be  neglected) 
that  after  I  was  gone  it  might  save  thousands  from 
suffering.  The  Shakers  discover  the  manner  of 
spirit  they  are  of,  by  iheir  bitter  manner  of  expres- 
sions. If  they  could  prove  against  me  what  they 
pretend,  they  would  rejoice  to  devour  me.  The 
truth  halh  so  far  bruised  them,  they  cannot  devour : 
and  further,  there  are  so  many  who  know  those 
statements  in  the  Portraiture  to  be  correct,  it  is  im- 
possible for  them  to  be  erased,  though  the  Shakers 
endeavor  to  cover  them  with  falsehood — imposing 
mostly  on  the  unlearned,  who  have  been  disciplined 
"by  their  terror,  as  you  can  see  when  reading  their 
book,  by  their  statements  and  their  crosses,  X  sign- 
ed with  their  names  !  Those  are  the  statements 
produced,  which  the  Shakers  say,  "may  serve  as  a 
master-key  to  all  the  rest,"  when  these  is  more 
than  thirty  other  witnesses  attested  under  oath,  now 
in  the  Portraiture,  standing  against  them,j^d  those 
statements  given  b}''  persons  whom  they  have  since 
imposed  on,  1  consider ■i^:8Ki,  perfectly  according 
to  truth,  and  may  be  relied  on  as  such,  the  same  as 


19 

those  whom  you  could  not  frighten  nor  deceive. 
They  gave  their  statements  candidly,  without  threat- 
enings,  and  nothing  to  compel  them  to  vary.  I  hope 
the  Lord  will  have  mercy  on  their  ignorance,  and 
forgive  them  in  what  they  have  done  by  your  im- 
position. 

You,  Shakers,  have  made  these  denj'  facts  which 
were  generally  known.  If  my  pamphlet  and  Por- 
traiture were  not  true,  why  are  you  afraid  to  let 
your  subjects  read  them?  which  they  are  absolute- 
ly forbid,  as  I  have  been  credibly  informed.  Your 
young  subjects  don't  know  all  of  it  to  be  true ;  but 
th*^y  know  so  much  of  it,  that  it  leads  the  mind  into 
the  whole.  You  can  bray  and  make  a  great  noise  j 
still  the  rational  reader  can  see  as  much  fallacy  in 
this  last  attempt  of  yours,  as  any  thing  yet  pro- 
duced. 

By  reading  the  following  statements,  a  person 
can  see  that, you  were  governed  in  this,  by  the  same 
wicked  principle  which  causeth  you  to  tantalize  your 
subjects. 

I,  Miriam  Dickey^  of  Wilmot,  N.  H.  depose  and  say, 
that  I  am  wife  of  Robert  Dickey,  who  was  always  a 
kind  husband,  until  he  joined  the  Shakers,  and  we  were 
in  easy  circumstances,  fie  was  a  professor  of  religion, 
and  a  teacher  to  the  people,  prior  to  his  joining  them. 
At  a  time  he  was  out  on  business,  (as  he  aftenvards  sta- 
ted) he  fell  in  with  the  Shakers  in  Enfield,  N.  H.  and 
believed  their  principles  to  be  right.  He  joined  them 
and  set  up  their  ceremonies  in  our  family.  The  Sha- 
kers said  the  duty  of  a  wife  was  to  obey  her  husband — 
I  had  always  been  willing  to  obey,  while  he  used  his 
reason  ;  but  now  I  must  come  into  all  the  Shaker's  cer- 
emonies and  wear  a  Shaker  cap.  My  mind  was  distress- 
ed, I  did  not  believe  with  the  Shakers,  and  the  separa- 
tion in  my  family  was  a  great  trouble,  without  being 
obliged  to  conform  to  their  ceremonies.     I  was  not  suf* 


20 

ficifintly  acquainted  with  them  to  know  their  practice^, 
but  I  could  not  believe  in  the  first  mother^  or  Ann  Lee, 
as  a  Savior  to  the  lost  world  ;  Irom  the  besl,  inlbrma- 
tion  I  could  get,  I  believed  her  vile.  Soon  there  was 
a  proposol  tor  my  husband  to  seli  his  farm  and  have  his 
propert}'  united  with  theirs.  1  observed  I  was  willing 
he  should  be  a  Shaker,  if  he  would  keep  his  interest, 
and  let  me  take  the  care  of  the  children.  I  told  the 
justice,  as  my  husband  was  a  Shaker,  they  would  wrong 
him  out  of  his  property  ;  1  shall  be  left  to  sutler.  The 
justice  thought  it  proper  that  I  should  have  a  reasona- 
ble part  of  it  secured  to  me.  My  husband  was  not  will- 
ing, but  said  I  should  not  be  wronged.  He  convoyed 
his  farm  away,  and  gave  the  security  which  he  receiv- 
ed for  it,  to  a  Shaker.*  I  was  wounded,  1  went  home 
sorrowful  ;  I  think  I  realized  the  deplorable  situation 
we  were  about  to  be  plunged  into.  Shortly  my  hus- 
band appeared  against  me  ;  I  felt  dejected  and  alone, 
(Ixums  in  circumstances.')  They  soon  began  to  strip  the 
farm.  We  had  a  large  family  of  children.  I  felt  as 
though  we  should  be  left  destitute  of  a  living  shortly. 
Soon  there  waS  orders  for  us  to  move  into  another 
house  not  so  good  as  ours,  where  were  three  families. 
This  was  distressing  in  my  situation,  to  be  away  from 
home,  among  a  people  continually  condemning  me  with 
their  awful  denunciations.  A  few  weeks  before  my 
conlinement,  Thomas  Ward,  an  old  elder,  in  the  time 
of  meeting,  came  to  me  with  his  fist  doubled  ;  he  put  it 
in  my  face,  stamped  and  said  I  should  3;o  to  hell !  that 
he  could  see  the  devil  in  my  face  ;  he  appeared  in  a 
rage,  and  I  thought  he  would  have  struck  me  ;  I  was  so 
frightened  I  could  scarce  stand  on  my  feet ;  my  husband 
smiled  to  see  him  treat  me  thus.  My  husband  frequent- 
ly told  me  he  must  hate  me,  and  strive  against  me  ;  I 
thought  I  had  as  much  trouble  as  I  could  live  in,  by  be- 
ing separated  from  my   dependence,   deprived  of  my 

*Wl)en  a  man  joins  the  Shakers,  he  must  first  give  up  his  wife,  next 
his  property,  then  his  chiUlien  ;  then  he  must  be  a  slave  through  life,  if 
he  abides  with  them. 


21 

home  in  my  difficult  situatiou,  without  such  treatment. 
1  looked  around  and  saw  that  my  family  was  undone  ; 
they  all  joined  in  their  meetings  but  myself;  they  sung, 
danced,  stamped,  doubled  their  fists,  and  ran  at  each  oth- 
er, spit  at  one  another,  screamed  and  screeched  and 
jumped  so  as  to  split  the  floor  boards.  I  thought  I 
should  lose  my  reason.  (I  was  confined.)  When  my 
child  was  three  weeks  old,  my  husband  removed  me  to 
an  open  shop,  where  the  rain  came  down  through  the 
roof;  there  was  not  a  place  dry  to  keep  my  bed.  I  wa& 
distressed  about  myself  and  children,  (as  I  was  brought 
up  tenderly)  and  always  treated  so  by  my  husband,  un- 
til he  gave  his  right  hand  and  reason  to  the  Shakers. 
To  add  to  my  affliction  in  this  miserable  situation,  a  wo- 
man was  .put  to  our  house,  to  order  me  in  my  work,  and 
to  govern  my  children,  by  the  name  of  Betty  Dockum, 
Soon,  other  Shakers  were  put  into  our  family,  in  con- 
s-equence  of  which,  I  had  to  sutler.  I  sometimes  thought 
I  had  better  destroy  myf-  If,  to  get  out  of  trouble.  We 
had  now  removed  to  another  house,  where  they  contin- 
ued to  treat  me  ill ;  if  I  made  any  objections,  it  was  the 
devil  in  me.  Now  1  had  the  cooking  to  do  for  a  large 
family,  and  my  mistress  to  order  me — she  would  tie 
my  children,  hang  them  up,  tie  their  hands  be- 
hind them,  then  tie  them  into  the  chair,  tie  them  to  the 
doors  ;  this  with  menacing  language.  Any  thing  that 
was  requested  of  the  children  by  this  mistress,  if  they 
disobeyed,  they  were  sure  to  be  punished.  Thus 
exasperated,  I  found  I  could  not  endure — I  went  to  a 
brother  of  mine,  told  him  my  difficulty — he  offered  me 
ri  home,  as  1  could  be  no  comfort  to  my  children,  and 
wasting  in  torment,  I  concluded  to  leave  the  Shakers.  I 
returned  to  tell  them  1  could  not  stay  and  live,  my  broth- 
er would  take  care  of  me.  They  gave  me  a  bed,  with 
a  small  part  of  my  furniture,  and  made  me  give  an  ac- 
quittance to  my  husband's  property.  Then  my  brother 
with  a  compassionate  heart,  moved  me  to  his  home. 
It  was  every  way  distressing  to  leave  my  children,  but 
to  see  them  treated  cruelly  and  be  treated  so  myself^^ 


22 

was  insupportable.  Had  not  ray  friends  assisted  me,  I 
must  have  perished  with  the  Shakers.  I  lived  with  my 
brother  a  few  months,  when  my  husband  came  for  me 
to  go  back.  I  told  him  I  could  not,  and  have  him  ioU 
low  the  Shakers,  and  keep  them  Shaker  women  there — 
lie  said  the  Shaker  women  made  our  daughters  do  all 
the  hard  work,  and  he  thought  it  injured  them — and  his 
trouble  was  such,  he  could  not  live  as  he  was, 
and  he  could  but  die,  if  he  left  the  Shakers.  I  con 
sented  lo  go  back.  He  turned  the  Shaker  women 
away,  and  I  once  more  was  restored  to  my  family  in 
peace.  We  were  now  very  poor — but  poverty  was  no 
trouble  compared  with  my  past  afdiction.  It  appeared 
like  a  new  world,  that  1  could  have  the  care  of  my  dear 
babes.  In  eight  or  nine  months,  the  Shakers  came  and 
again  persuaded  my  husband  to  believe  that  they  were 
the  only  accepted  people  of  God,  that  he  could  never 
find  redemption  but  by  them,  and  without  obedience  to 
their  principles,  he  must  go  to  hell  !  They  got  such 
Jiold  of  his  mind,  it  appeared  as  though  he  would  lose 
his  senses — he  could  neither  eat  nor  sleep — was  in  ab- 
.solute  agony.  He  joined  them  again.  Shortly  after, 
there  was  orders  for  him  to  carry  his  family  to  the  Sha- 
kers in  Canterbuf}'^,  upwards  of  sixty  mile?.  This  was 
dreadfal  to  me  ;  1  was  racked  with  trouble.  I  expect- 
ed shortly  to  be  contined.  He  took  six  of  our  children, 
left  our.i^.vvo~oid§st  daughters — I  was  distressed  to  part 
with  my  little  babes.  1  soon  began  to  consider  on  my 
situation — the  house  I  was  left  in,  was  not  my  husband's, 
our  i^"operty  was  all  gone;*  the -only  consolation  was, 
that  1  iiad  the  best  of  neighbors,  and  my  two  oldest  daugh- 
ters with  me.  After  my  husband  carried  the  little  child- 
ren, he  was  sent  immediately  back  for  the  other  two — 
he  said  it  was  the  orders,  and  they  must  go.  M}'  eld- 
est daughter  v/ept  and  said,  "•  Mother  will  die,  if  we 
leave  her  alone."  She  wept  as  though  she  would  break 
her  heart,  until  she  went  out  ot  sight.  Oh  my  sorrows, 
I  did  not  know  as  I  should  ever  see  any  of  my  children 

*  He  was  a  wheelwright  by  trade,  which  supported  uS. 


2"^ 

again  ;  consider,  reader,  my  situation — was  left  in  a 
strnnge  house  alone — was  distressed  and  sick — pen  can- 
not describe  my  sensations,  (I  cannot  realize  it  without 
tears.)  I  walked  around  the  house — looked  around,  no 
husband  to  protect  me  in  sickness — no  children — no 
home  ;  grief  rushed  upon  ray  mind.  I  endeavored  lo 
nurse  myself,  by  taking  some  herb  tea.  Esq.  Buck  of 
Norwich,  V^t.  came  in  to  see  me — said,  "  I  could  not  have 
tljought  your  husband  would  have  treated  you  so  ;"  he 
'shew  pity,  and  offered  me  a  home  at  his  house.  My 
kind  neighbors  took  care  of  me  through  my  sickness. 
After  1  was  better,  my  husband  came  and  said  to  me, 
*'  If  you  will  go  to  Canterbury,  I  will  provide  for  you  a 
good  home,  and  you  shall  live  with  your  children."  For 
I  their  sake,  I  went,  but  all  in  vain  ;  he  afterwards  left 
'tlie  Shakers — has  four  times  joined  and  left  the  Shakers ; 
smd  1  have  passed  through  scenes  of  disappointment  too 
lenothy  to  mention.  It  is  my  desire  and  prayer,  for  a 
proiection  for  helpless  women  and  children.  My  hus- 
band, and  myself,  and  part  of  ray  children,  are  now  sep- 
arate from  the  Shakers.  Providence,  so  favored  us, 
that  though  we  were  made  destitute  of  property,  we  are 
now  comfortable  for  support.  My  husband  is  now  hav- 
ing his  testimony  written,  shewing  the  manner  of  the 
Shakers'  compulsion,  which  causedhim  to  treat  his  fam- 
ily as  he  did.  MIRIAMXDICKEY. 


I,  Miriam  Dickey,  testify  and  state,  that  a  shorT  time 
since,  John  Lyon,  a  Shaker  Elder,  and  another  Shaker 
man,  from  Enfield,  N.  H.  came  to  my  house,  in  Wilmot 
— there  tried,  by  every  exertion,  to  make  me  deny  my 
statement,  now  published  in  a  book  entitled,  "  A  Por- 
traiture of  Shakerism,"  published  by  Mary  M.  Dyer. 
I  told  them  it  was  the  truth,and  I  could  not,  in  conscience, 
deny  it. — They  stayed  and  contended  with  me,  from 
dusk  until  two  o'clock  at  night — and  against  threats  and 
cavils,  I  still  contended  that  it  was  the  truth.  And 
now,  I  still  say,  that  it  is  truth  ;  and  more  wicked  and 
base  things  I  could  state.— They  requested  me  to  state 
the  names  of  those  to  whom    our  property  was   given. 


24 

I  did.  They  thea  said,  those  were  not  Shakers.  I  coir 
tended  that  they  were  ;  and  many  of  the  same  number 
are  now  with  the  Shakers — some  of  them,  years  after- 
wards, left  them.  They  then  requested  me  to  sign  my 
name  to  a  paper,  that  such  and  such  were  the  persons 
who  wene  the  ones  since  left  them.  I  was  unwilling  to 
do  any  thing  about  it,  fearing  1  should  do  wrong.  They, 
with  my  husband,  contended  against  me  (he  is  of  their 
principle)  saying,  "  you  shall  prove  your  statement^  if 
you  do  not,  we  will  make  it  worse  for  you,  as  you^ 
statement  is  not  attested."  I  then  consented  to  sign  my 
name  that  such  and  such  were  the  names  ;  and 
this  was  all  that  I  signed  to,  that  I  have  knowledge  of, 
and  this  did  not  contradict  my  former  statement.  Since 
I  §aw  their  publications  in  the  Patriot,  of  April  19,  1$^ 
I  feel  glad  of  a  privilege  to  afhrm  to  this,  and  thal^ 
so. — I  surely  consider  the  Shakers  the  most  treacner- 
ous  people  I  ever  knew.  They  had  some  writing  on  a 
paper  when  they  came  to  our  house,  and  they  wrote 
more  while  there  ;  but  what  it  was,  I  do  not  know. 

her 


MIRIAM  X  DICKER, 
mark. 


Attest,  William  Gay, 
Margaret  Gay. 


Then  personally  appeared,  the  within  named  Miriam  Dickey,  and 
made  solemn  affirmation,  that  the  within  statement,  by  her  subscribed, 
contains  the  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth  ;  likewise,  her  statement 
in  a  book  entitled,  "  A  Portraiture  of  Shakerism." 

Before  me,  JABEZ  YOUNGMAN,  Just  Peace. 

This  certifies,  that  we,  the  undersigned,  have  been 
personally  acquainted  with  the  within  named  Miriam 
Dickey,  for  ten  years  last  past,  and  consider  her  to  be 
a  woman  of  truth,  and  strict  veracity. 

JABEZ  YOUNGMAN, 
WILLIAM  GAY, 
MARGARET  GAY, 
NANCY  KIMBALL^ 
ANNA  GAY. 
Wilraot,  April  21,  1824. 


25 

[Extract.] 

I,  Martha  Stanley^  have  seen  a  statemisnt  in  the  N.  H. 
Patriot,  of  April  26,  over  my  signature,  the  most  of 
which  I  deny  ever  stating  or  hearing  read.  The  tirst 
part,  I  utterly  deny  ;  also,  the  last — much  of  the  rest  of 
it,  is  false — and  tlae  face  of  the  whole  is  changed. — I 
was  at  the  Shaker  Village  at  a  certain  time,  when  they 
questiofled  me  to  know  how  those  things  were — read 
some  in  the  Portraiture — some  sayings  were  a  little  dif- 
ferent from  my  understanding  as  to  words  merely,  but 
the  meaning  amounts  to  the  same. — ^As  to  the  writing  I 
signed,  I  was  at  the  Shakers  when  four  of  the  elders 
and  their  father.  Job  Bishop,  ali  contended  against  me, 
because  of  the  variation?  above  stated,  saying,  Mary 
Dyer  made  me  a  liar  ;  they  said  much,  and  shew  tem- 
per, because  I  told  them  the  truth.  At  length,  they 
appeared  more  pleasant,  and  said,  sign,  (shewing  those 
variations)  we  will  be  satisfied.  They  wrote  and  read 
something  frivolous,  that  was  of  no  consequence.  This 
I  signed.  Those  men  that  witnessed,  never  read  it,  and 
I  could  not  read  writing. — After  I  saw  their  statement 
in  the  Patriot,  I  was  dissatisfied — was  desirous  to  have 
something  written  shewing  their  fraud. — I  further  state 
that  1  have  seen  in  meetings  (when  there  were  no  specta- 
tors) between  men  anvl  women,  leaders  and  people,  the 
most  bestial  conduct — too  bad,  to  name — and  all  was 
called  gifts  of  God  to  mortify  !  1  thought  rum  produc- 
ed this  effect.  I  further  state,  that  the  statement  given 
by  Sarah  Meacham,  published  in  the  Portraiture,  was 
made  in  my  presence.  I  went  with  Mrs.  Dyer  to  shew 
her  the  way — which  state^ieat  Sarah  has  commonly  re- 
ported. 

her 
MARTHA  X  STANI^y 
mark. 
Attest,  J.  A.  LiscoM, 

Catharine  FAyNE< 

.^17  30,  1824. 

C 


2t) 

We,  the  underslgners,  do  slate,  that  we  were  present 
and  heard  Mrs.  Stanley  give  the  above  statement.  We 
have  reason  to  believe  her  conscientious  in  it  ;  she 
thinks  it  wrong  to  take  an  oath,  because  the  Scripture 
forbids  it.     We  believe  her  a  pious  woman. 

RUTH  PAYNE, 
CATHARINE  PAYNE, 
LUCY  PAYNE. 

1,  Joseph  Stanley^  of  Enfield,  N.  H.  do  testify  and  say, 
•that  the  Shakers  have  tried  to  make  rae  deny  my  state- 
ment, published  in  the  Portraiture  of  Shakerism,  by 
Mary  M.  Dyer.     I  would  not  ;  it  is  a  fact. 

JOSEPH  STANLEY. 

April  26,  1824. 

1,  Lemuel  Dow^  of  PL^nover,  in  the  county  of  Grafton, 
^tate  of  New-Hampshire,  of  lawful  age,  testify  and 
say,  1  have  been  informed,  that  the  Shakers  aro  report- 
ing, that  a  letter  in  the  Portraiture  of  Shakerism,  pub- 
lished by  Mary  M.  Dyer,  which  was  sent  to  her  from 
Sarah  Curtis,  is  forged,  endeavoring  to  throw  scandal 
on  Mrs.  Dyer ;  as  I  was  personally  acquainted  with  the 
circumstances,  1  feel  it  a  duty  to  make  the  following 
statement  : 

Sarah  Curtis,  who  had  lived  with  the  Shakers,  (when 
she  left  them)  came  to  my  house,  and  made  it  her  home 
for  more  than  two  years,  and  we  considered  her  an  in- 
nocent but  deluded  girl.  She  said,  she  was  shamclully 
used  by  the  Shakers,  whrn  she  went  to  see  them,  and 
visit  her  brothers  and  sisters.  Still  she  believed  on 
them,  as  being  a  good  people,  until  she  read  the  Sha- 
ker's book,  the  title  of  which  is  "  Dyer's  Naf  rative"  ; 
which  was  calculated  to  injure  Mrs.  Dyer.  Sarah's 
reading  this  seemed  to  convince  her  of  their  fallacy  ; 
she  appeared  much  dissatisfied  about  the  statement,  to 
which  her  name  was  affixed.  She  hearing  that  Mrs. 
Dyer  was  living  with  Mrs.  Flood,  o*'' Lebanon,  she  took 
my  horse  and  sleigh,  and  conveyed  Mrs.  Dyer  to  my 
bouse  ;  she  appeared  desirous  to  make  some  compen^ 


27 

sation  to  Mrs.  Dyer,  for  the  injuries  imposed  on  her  by 
the  Shakers,  in  the  statement  with  her  name  attached  ; 
and  another  with  her  sister  Susanna's  name  attached, 
Mi's.  Dyer  questioned  her  with  regard  to  the  propriety 
of  some  things  in  her  aftidavit,  in  Mr.  Dyer's  book. 
Sarah  said,  she  did  not  understand  it  so  at  that  time  j 
but  she  was  sensible  now  of  the  injury  done  Mrs.  Dy- 
er ;  and  concluded  to  write  her  a  letter,  that  Mrs.  Dyer 
might  publish  it  in  her  book,  that  she  was  about  pub- 
lishing, to  do  away  the  stigma  of  her  affidavit,  as  pub- 
lished in  Mr.  Dyer's  book.  Sarah  made  the  attempt, 
but  could  not  answer  her  own  mind.  She  then  inform- 
ed me  of  what  had  transpired,  requested  me  to  write 
for  her,  accordingly  I  did  ;  and  after  1  completed  the 
letter,  I  read  it  to  her,  she  examined  it,  and  signed  it, 
and  further  saith  not. 

LEMUEL  DOW.    . 

Tryphcna  Dorv,  wife  of  Lemuel  Dow,  testify  and  say, 
that  1  can  attest  to  the  truth  of  the  foregoing,  with  the 
following  addition  :  that  Sarah  said  she  had  given  Mrs. 
Dyer  a  good  letter,  and  appeared  to  be  relieved  in  her 
mind  ;  this  was  the  first  time  she  had  seen  Mrs.  Dyer 
after  she  had  left  the  Shakers,  (as  she  said.) 

TRYPHENA  DOW. 

^taieof  J\''ew-Hampshire,)  .      .    ,_,„,, 

Grafton,  ss.  \  '         .  Apnl  27,  J824. 

Lemuel  Dow  made  solemn  oatlj,  that  the  foregoing  affidavit,  by  him 
subscribed,  is  just  and  true,     befoie  me, 

TIMOTHY  OWEN,  jun.  Jus.  Ptace. 

Whereas  I  have  lately  heard  a  statement  read  in  the 
N.  11.  Patriot,  with  my  signature  annexed  to  it,  which 
is  calculated  to  contradict  some  statements  made  in  my 
affidavit  and  letters,  published  in  the  Portraiture  of 
Shakerism,  b_y  Mary  M.  Dyer,  I  now  fee*  it  my  duly  to 
state  the  particulars  to  the  public  A  suort  time  since, 
two  Shakers  came  to  my  house,  and  read  to  me  the 
aforesaid  afTidavit  and  letter,  and  crit:cise<l  mc'  ou  the 
subject.  '  1  then  observed  before  th.'m  nnd  others,  that 
I  recollected  every  seiiience,  except  the  (jr,M_2::tig  Mrs. 
Beck  down  stairs,   wliich   are  correct,  and  1  think  thflt 


28 

was'ffesh  iji  my  mind  at  the  time  of  writing  said  affida- 
vit,  for  she  was  often  treated  with  great  severitv.  I 
have  of  late  had  a  severe  sickness,  which  has  wholly 
deprived  me  of  my  sight,  and  greatly  impaired  my 
memory,  and  every  faculty  and  power  of  mind,  and  I 
am  rrow  in  the  eighty -tifth  year  of  my  age.  And  now  if 
my  name  is  annexed  to  such  a  statement  as  has  been 
published  in  the  N.  H.  Patriot,  I  did  not  understand 
what  it  contained.  My  aflidavit  doth  not  state  the  man- 
ner in  which  I  was  separated  from  my  wife  and  chil- 
dren, or  by  which  I  lost  my  property. 

I  was  asked  by  the  above  Shakers  whether  I  parted 
with  my  properly  or  my  children  without  my  consent. 
1  answered  them  that  it  was  the  orders  ;  and  whilst 
we  were  Shakers,  we  must  consent  to  the  orders  or 
gifts.  As  to  wilful  falsehood  spoken  of,  there  is  no 
such  thing  named  in  my  affidavit  ;  but  this  I  am  sure, 
that  they  made  many  false  statements,  and  I  still  believe 
them  deceived  and  deceiving  others  as  lespects  their 
I'eligious  principles. 

EBENEZER  KIMBALL. 

Attest,  Jonathan  Franklin, 
D.  C.  Churchill. 

Lyme,  May  7,  1824. 

The  above  named  Esq.  Franklin  was  the  justice  who 
took  Mr.  Kimball's  fii'st  deposition. 

Haverhill,  JV.  H,  May  20,  1824. 
This  certifies,  that  1  the  subscriber,  printer  of  the 
Portraiture  of  Shakerism,  did  publish  in  said  Portraiture 
a  correct  copy  of  the  original  affidavit  signed  by  Ebene- 
zer  Kimball,  of  Lyme,  N.  IL,  which  original  copy  be- 
ing lost  or  mislaid,  is  the  cause  of  this  certificate. 

SYLVESTER  T.  GOSS. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  addressed  to  the 
editor  of  the  Patriot,  by  Obadiah  Mooney,  Esq.^ 

To  Laac  Hill,  Esq, 

Dear  Sir — In  seeing  those  statements  in  the  N.  H. 
Patriot,  of  April  I9th  and  26th,   1824^treating  on  the^  ^ 

^  /y^-^^  ^   /  A^.    7---^^.4^jL,>y^^yZ.'^^  ^    <^*y   /A-4^ 


^  '^'ui  jLov^,i 


f- 


29 

■f 
subject  of  the  Portraiture  of  Shakerism,  published  by 
Mary  M.  Dyer,  I  consider  those  statements  produced  by 
treachery  and  falsehood,  imposing  on  the  public  and 
individual  persons.  1,  being  a  justice  of  the  peace, 
make  the  following  remarks  : 

The  statements  of  Sarah  Tibbets,  Joshua  Fletcher, 
Betsy  Looge,  Josiah  Watson,  Noah  Wiggin,  I  adminis- 
tered to  them  the  oath  ;  and  also  to  others  that  have 
aot  appeared  in  the  Patriot.  And  each  of  those  depo- 
sitions was  done  without  partiality,  or  deception.  After 
those  depositions  Avere  written,  I  read  each  of  them  to 
the  persons,  when  they  signed  the  same,  and  I  gave 
them  their  oaths.  Since  those  statements  were  pub- 
lished, denying  some  part  .of  those  statements  in  the 
Portraiture,  I  have  examined  and  compared  with  some 
of  the  original  affidavits  and  copies,  which  I  have  novp- 
in  possession,  and  find  the  Portraiture  correct,  except 
the  statement  of  Josiah  Watson,  the  most  vulgar  of 
which  is  omitted,  beirig  published  in  the  Portraiture. 
The  said  Watson  wrote  his  affidavit  with  his  own  hand, 
(as  he  said)  and  brought  it  to  me,  at  Canterbury,  and 
made  oath  to  the  same.  I,  therefore,  request  the  prin- 
ters, who  have  printed  for  the  Shakers,  to  publish  this, 
fori  consider  myself  injured  in  my  own  feelings,  and  in 
the  eye  of  the  public.  Whenever  I  transact  any  busi- 
ness as  a  magistrate,  I  consider  myself  under  oath. 
Respectfully  yours, 

OBADIAH  MOONEY,  Jus.  Peace. 

Stewarts'town,  May  10,  1824. 

A^orthfield,  June  Ut.,  1824. 
Th>'i  certifies,  that  in  August  1818,  I  gave  Sarah  M. 
L.  Sewell  her  oath  tcfen  affidavit,  which  lliave  seen  in  a 
book,  called  a  Portraiture  of  Shakerism,  by  Wary  M". 
Dyer.  I  further  state,  that  I  read  the  affidavit,  above 
alluded  to,  in  her  presence,  and  asked  her,  if  she  could 
«afely  attest  to  it.  She  answered  "  yes.-'  And  I  fur- 
ther recollect,  in  reading  the  affidavit,  when  1  can)e  to 
the  passage  where  she  stated  about  the  improper  con- 
duct shewn  to  her,  by  one  of  the  brethren,  I  stopped. 
C  2 


30 

and  asked  her  if  it  was  possible  it  could  be  true.  She 
answered,  "  yes,  it  was."  Then  I  proceeded,  and  read 
the  remainder  of  the  affidavit  ;  and  according  to  the 
best  of  my  recollection,  I  think  that  the  affidavit,  in  said 
book,  contains  the  same  which  she  gave  oath  to,  before 
me. 

CHARLES  GLIDDEN,  Just.  Peace. 

This  may  certify,  that  I  was  present  when  Esq.  Glid- 
den  read  the  above  named  affidavit  to  Sarah  M.  L.  Sew- 
ell — saw  her  sign  her  name,  and  give  her  oath,  and  can 
witness  to  the  above  recollection  stated  ;  and  that  Mrs. 
I)yer  was  not  present  at  the  time  of  taking  said  affida* 
vlt. 

JOHN  LYFORD,  Just.  Peace. 

This  may  shew,  that  the  fifth  day  of  June,  I  called  at 
Thomas  Sewell's,  brother  to  Sarah  L.  Sewell,  where  I 
had  some  talk  with  his  wife.  I  asked  her  how  the  Sha- 
"kers  got  their  statement  with  Sarah's  name  to  it.  She 
Said,  "  Sarah  was  here,  when  they  came,  and  asked  her 
about  her  statement  published  in  the  Portraiture.  She 
told  them  it  was  the  truth,  (and  I  had  before  heard  Sa- 
rah tell  all  the  particulars — and  that  Stephen  Merrill,  a 
Shaker  leader,  was  the  one  vho  compelled  her  to  his 
passion)  the  Shakers  appeared  in  a  rage,  and  frightened 
her  to  sign.  When  they  read  their  statement,  (which 
was  written  when  they  came*)  I  told  them  before  the 
justice,  that  Sarah  could  not  take  a  safe  oath,  to  what 
they  had  written.  1  found  they  were  determined  to  make 
her  comply,  and  I  left  the  room.  After  they  were  gone, 
Sarah  said  she  was  so  frightened  she  did  not  know  what 
she  signed  her  name  to — and  she  appeared  almost ,  dis- 
tracted ;  she  is  a  poor  weak,  disheartened  creature,  and 
had  no  power  of  mind  to  defend  herself."  I  told  her 
to  tell  Sarah,  from  me,  that  the  truth  would  clear  her 
now,  and  the  way   that  was  true  ;  to  be  sure  to  say,  at 


*  I  learnt  at  Meredith,  that  the  Shakersa'ook  the  Portrai  urc  into  a  shop, 
where  they  prepared  the  statement  to  their  mind,  before  they  went  to 
Mr.  Sewell's. 


31 

all  dmes,  when  she  said  any  thing  about  it,  for  1  was  sura 
there  was  no  comfort  for  her  in  this  life,  and  I  hoped 
she  would  not  destroy  her  soul,  if  she  had  her  body. 
They  said,  they  wished  I  could  see  her.  I  told  them  I 
thought  I  should  not  know  her,  as  I  had  never  seen  her 
but  a  short  time  once. — Mrs.  Sewell  said  I  might  state 
the  above. 

MARY  M.  DYER. 

At  Meredith  Bridge,  I  saw  two  receipts,  belonging  to 
a  couple  of  merchants,  which  were  previously  given  to 
Israel  Sanborn,  a  Shaker  deacon,  when  those  receipts 
were  returned  for  settlement  ;  on  one,  the  figures  were 
altered  in  two  places,  and  the  other  in  one — favoring  the 
deacon  in  the  price.  If  any  doubt  the  truth  of  this  as- 
sertion, the  receipts  and  witnesses  can  be  produced. 

If  the  Shakers  take  the  advantage  of  those  who  have 
been  their  subjects,  I  hope  other  people  will  find  power 
to  detect  them. 

MARY  M.  DYER. 

I,  Josiah  Watson,  would  inform  the  public,  that  the 
Shakers  came  to  my  house  to  make  me  give  them  some 
statement,  to  contradict  my  statement,  published  in  the 
Portraiture  of  Shakerism.  1st.  They  questioned  me  to 
know  if  it  \vis  worded  just  as  I  worded  it ;  I  told  them 
not  exactly,  but  was  the  same  in  essence.  This  I  still 
say,  only  the  worst  was  omitted,  because  of  immodesty. 
2d.  They  wrote  their  statement,  published  in  the  Patri- 
ot, and  equivocated  about  some  things  like  this,  of  the 
Bible  not  being  read.  Our  Leaders  said,  the  Bible  was 
of  no  use  more  than  an  old  almanack,  for  it  was  an  old 
back  dispensation,  and  wished  there  was  not  a  Bible  ia 
the  world.  3d.  They  hare  stated  as  though  Dolly 
M'Horn  was  all  the  one  that  kneeled  to  Ann  Lee,  when 
at  a  distar,'',e.  But  I  have  seen  and  heard  Elder  Joseph 
Meacham  say  in  meeting,  that  he  felt  to  kneel  down 
before  Mother  and  Elder  William,  and  he  kneeled  down, 
and  all  the  rest,  which  was  near  three  years  after  their 
death. 


Their  third  statement  I.  deny.  I  told  them  that 
among  all  th«^ir  j^rofes3ions,  thej  did  \\vo  in  vvhorttdom. 
Some  of  thoir  improper  conduct  was  done  b}' orders, 
and  some  by  gifts. 

4th.  The  child  beino^  carried  to  the  woods,  another 
hung  ovji  of  the  chamber  window,  I  was  informed  of  was 
orders,  and  believe  it  to  be  true.  5th.  The  women 
nursing  the  men,  was  a  gift  of  Edmund*  and  James 
Lougee,  which  I  saw.  6th.  My  deposition  doth  not 
state  the  way  I  had  my  information  how  the  minister 
attempted  to  h'r'al  a  sick  man,  but  one  of  his  own  brothers 
told  me.  7th.  The  girl  who  was  stripped  and  whipped 
so  unmercifully,  and  then  put  out  of  the  window  naked, 
was  done  by  orders,  as  I  heard.  8th.  It  is  not  in  my 
deposition,  that  Abraham  Blodgett  was  an  Elder.  I  never 
said,  nor  stated  to  Mary  M.  Dyer,  any  thing  contained 
in  my  deposition,  for  I  wrote  it  myself,  and  this  I  also 
write.  And  1  have  now  a  pamphlet  of  sixty  pages, 
which  I  wrote  for  my  own  satisfaction.  Let  the  truth 
reign. 

JOSIAH  WATSON. 

Attest,  Mary  Watsow, 
John  Lyford. 

Northfield,  June  3,  1824. 

I  have  of  late  heard,  that  the  Shakers  have  said^ 
that  the  unseemly  conduct  among  them  was  conducted 
by  me.  1  utterly  deny  it  ;  and  further  state,  that  if  the 
Shakers  don't  let  me  alone,  I  will  expose  their  filthy 
abominations,  which  hath  not  yet  been  exposed. 

JOSIAH  WATSON. 

Northfield,  June  7,  1824. 

I  wish  the  printers  to  publish  what  this  contains. 

■  Bets^  Foster  had  previously  given  a  statement  to 
the  Shakers,  on  the  promise  she  made  belore  she 
left  them,  to  speak  well  of  them.  See  her  testimony  in 
the  ^Portraiture^  p.  210. 

*  Who  died  w  hen  an  Elder  among  them. 


33 

I,  James  Foster,  of  Canterbury,  N.  H.  do  state,  that  I 
am  husband  of  Betsy  Foster,  who  hath  her  statement 
published  in  the  Portraiture  of  Shakerism,  which  ig 
true,  as  far  as  1  had  any  knowledge  of  the  circumstance. 
By  attending  the  Shaker^s  meeting,  conversing  with 
them,  seeing  their  neatness  and  regularity,  1  was  per- 
suaded to  believe  them  the  only  true  church  of  God, 
and  that  I  could  find  salvation  no  other  way  but  that. 
In  1801,  1  set  out  in  obedience  to  their  orders,  v/hich 
is  the  first  requirement.  After  a  time,  by  this  obedi- 
ence, 1  gave  up  my  family  and  property— this  in  1807. 
Soon  after  I  moved  into  their  family — they  requested 
me  to  sign  their  Covenant — which  if  I  did  not,  they 
could  not  own  an}'  union  with  me,  (or  fellowship)  which 
would  shut  me  from  their  salvation,  which  1  believed 
would  make  me  miserable  here  and  hereafter — I  sign- 
ed. Next,  1  must  be  rid  of  natural  affections ;  and  in 
case  my  children  were  sick  or  in  trouble,  I  was  not  al- 
lowed to  take  any  notice  of  them.  I  had  to  sign  a  bond, 
to  bind  myself  not  to  have  any  care  or  controul  over 
them  in  any  condition  while  with  them,  or  to  molest  in 
their  work,  government,  or  faith  in  principles.  When 
I  moved  in  with  them,  I  carried  to  them  about  seven 
hundred  dollars,  free  from  expense.  This,  with  inter- 
est, and  twelve  years  and  a  half  of  hard  work,  which 
I  have  done  for  them,  they  have  got  ;  except  about  two 
hundred  dollars  which  1  have  since  paid  out  for  my 
^amiiy.  The  most  for  a  sick  son,  who  came  from  the 
Shakers,  and  who  afterwards  died  at  Mr  Kimball's,  in 
Concord,  N.  H.  And  since  1  left  them,  I  have  request- 
ed of  them  to  let  me  have  my  just  rights  in  property — 
they  said  they  were  under  no  obligation  to  pay  me  any, 
as  I  had  signed  their  Covenant  ;  but  if  1  would  give 
them  a  receipt  in  full,  they  would  do  something.  They 
have  let  me  have  in  all,  by  much  interceding,  what  they 
called  about  three  hundred  dollars'  worth — some  in  old 
furniture.  All  I  had  could  not  be  called  of  more  value 
than  two  hundred  dollars  in  money,  which  is  all  I  can 
ohtain. 


34 

I  left  them  in  1820 — am  now  fifty-eight  years  old. 
All  persons  who  unite  with  them,  must  be  in  obedience 
to  their  orders  or  gifts.  The  last  reason  for  my  leav- 
ing them  was,  old  people  are  neglected,  and  I  was  also 
neglected,  and  found  I  must  take  care  of  myself,  or  not 
be  took  care  of  This,  with  other  things,  shew  me 
that  their  religion  was  vain. 

It  is  now  my  humble  prayer,  that  the  authority 
would  do  something  to  protect  the  families  of  such  men 
as  should  be  deceived  by  the  Shakers  ;  and  that  they 
should  have  no  more  power  to  hold  a  man's  property, 
or  profit  of  his  labor,  than  any  other  people.  This  1 
humbly  pray. 

JAMES  FOSTER. 

State  of  JVeia-Hampshire, }  t        „  ,„»>• 

MERRIMACK,  ss.       i  June  8, 1824. 

Then  came  the  above  named  James  Fester,  and  made  solemn  oath, 
that  the  above  statement,  by  him  subscribed,  is  just  and  true. 
Before  me,  SAMUEL  FORREST,  Jus.  Peace. 

I,  Asa  Pattee,  of  Canaan,  do  testify,  that  some  time 
In  the  month  of  March,  18?4,  the  Shakers  sent  for  me 
and  my  wife,  to  come  and  see  them.  They  came  and 
carried  us  over  very  kind,  saying,  to  see  my  wife's  broth- 
er among  them.  When  we  got  there,  they  contended 
for  two  days.  Their  chief  discourse  was  to  make  me 
counteract  the  statement  given  by  me,  in  the  Portrai- 
ture of  Shakerism,  published  by  Mary  M.  Dyer.  1  ut- 
terly refused,  for  it  is  truth  ;  and  as  I  before  stated,  on- 
ly some  sentences  are  put  more  modest,  than  I  before 
stated.  The  Shakers  handed  forth  a  paper  with  writ- 
ing on  it,  which  they  wished  me  to  sign,  (shewing  this 
variation.)  I  told  them  the  statement  published,  was 
not  so  bad  as  they  had  conducted — if  they  would  let  me 
give  a  statement  in  full,  I  would  sign  it.  Thej'^  then 
were  willing  to  withdraw  their  paper. — It  would  be  a 
real  satisfaction  to  me,  to  have  the  privilege  of  relating 
to  the  General  Court,  by  word  of  mouth,  these  facts. 
I  feel  as  though  the    Shakers  are  trying  to  injure  Mrs. 


35 

T)yer  by   stating  falsehood,  as  I  have  seen  their  statie- 
ments  iu  the  Patriot. 

ASA  PATTEE. 
Attest,  Thomas  Miner, 
Amos  Miner. 
April  2^^  1824. 

Tht  folloroing  is  stated  by  Colonel  Pattee,  son  to  the 
above. 
1,  Daniel  Pattee,  of  Canaaa,  state  of  New-Hampshire, 
state,  that  I  have  heard  that  the  Shakers  have  denied 
my  statement,  published  in  the  Portraiture  of  Shakerxsm, 
published  by  Mary  M.  Dyer.  1  now  state,  that  the  state- 
ment is  a  fact  ;  and  such  conduct  was  common  in  Ann 
Lee's  day ;  and  it  was  not  called,  by  them,  indecent  or 
improper. 

DANIEL  PATTEE. 
Attest,  James  Pattee, 

Moses  D.  Pattee. 

.Upril  26,  1824. 

< 

I,  Alice  Beck,  of  Canterbury,  N.  H.  state,  that  I  was 
born  in  Greenland,  N.  H,  near  District  of  Maine,  certify, 
that  a  few  months  since,  two  Shakers  (Francis  Winkley 
and  John  Whicher)  came  to  my  house  very  plausible. 
Tiiey  handed  forth  a  book,  (the  Portraiture  ot  Shaker- 
•  ism)  began  to  read  a  statement  published,  which  I  had 
given.  As  they  read,  they  questioned  me.  I  told  them 
it  was  true — this  again  and  again.  They  disputed  me. 
I  told  them  it  was  certainly  true.  They  shnt  their  book, 
appeared  in  anger — tried  to  beat  me  down,  that  ii  was 
a  lie.  I  felt  to  confirm  it  in  such  a  way,  they  ceased 
their  imposition  on  me  for  that  time.  After  a  few  weeks, 
they  sent  for  two  of  my  sons  (Henry  and  Charles)  who 
live  with,  and  by  me,  to  come  and  see  them.  When 
they  went,  the  Shakers  had  a  writing  drawn  up  for  them 
to  sign,  which  if  they  wou'd  not,  the  Shakers  threatened, 
saying,  they  could  and  would  take  the  advantage  oi  them 
!h  some  land,  in  consequence  of  the  bounds  beirrg  lost. 


36 

Mv  sons  read  the  writing — found  it  not  according  to 
trnth,  and  caltalated  to  cut  some  part  of  my  statement, 
published  in  the  Portraiture.  Henry  said,  he  would  not 
sign  any  such  thing — he  would  lose  all  his  land  first. 
He  returned,  home  and  related  to  me  the  above.  They 
afterwards  came  with  some  of  our  townsmen,  and  a  sur- 
veyor— pretended  they  could  take  some  of  our  land  ; 
but  if  my  sons  would  sign  the  writing,  they  would  do 
nothing  about  it.  Henry  said  it  made  his  title  no  better 
by  his  signing  their  writing — if  it  would  be  his  then,  it 
was  now — that  his  iather  felt  himself  injured  in  the 
thing  until  his  death — but  he  wished  for  no  quarrel,  and 
would  do  nothing  about  it — if  they  wanted  a  quarrel, 
they  might  begin  as  soon  as  pleased.  He  hath  since 
found  a  writing,  showing  the  particulars,  which  was 
then  mislaid.  Thus  they  equivocate,  to  cover  the  truth. 
And  my  distressed  son,  at  Wearo,  N.  H.  (Clement  Beck) 
who  lived  with  the  Shakers  until  he  was  thirty  eight 
years  old^ — and  since  he  came  from  them,  he  has  been 
v«ry  diligent  accumulating  some  property — thus  he  was 
entirely  ignorant  of  law.  In  their  condition,  as  1  un- 
derstood, they  went  to  him  to  make  him  sign  to  a  state- 
ment denying  the  truth,  which  was  als«  published  in  the 
above-named  book.  I  have  since  learnt,  that  when  they 
could  not  make  him  deny  it  with  fair  reasoning,  they 
threatened  him,  saying,  if  he  did  not  sign  to  satisfy  them, 
they  had  power  to  take  from  him  his  property,  aad  put  * 
•him  in  the  State  Prison  ;  and  that  lawyer  Webster  told 
them  so.  After  staying  four  hours  parlying  with  him, 
he  signed  their  statement.  They  wished  him  to  attest 
to  it.  He  said  he  would  be  drawn  in  quarters  first. 
They  could  get  none  to  witness,  only  one  of  themselves, 
■and  a  man  deaf,  and  almost  blind  ;  and  who  never  had 
common  abilities.  This  son's  statement  was  written  in 
Boy  presence  and  is  what  he  has  stated  among  the  neigh- 
bors, (the  same  published  in  the  Portraiture)  and  they 
believing  him  an  honest  man  hath  caused  to  be  more  dis- 
satisfied v.ith  the  Shakers  for  their  last  treatment  to 
Clement,  than  any  thing  bef«re  done.     I  feel  to  reflect, 


37 

that  I  was  any  way  the  cause  of  having  my  children  plac- 
ed where  thosr  of  good  natural  abilities  are  brought  iTp 
90  ignorant  of  the  auViority  and  protection  as  to  he  thus 
imposed  on.  Since  my  son  left  the  Shakers,  he  has  ac- 
curnulated  a  pretty  property — hath  enjoyed  himself  ve- 
ry well,  until  this  last  imposition  of  the  Shakers,  which, 
I  learn,  hath  much  affect-ed  him  in  mind  and  health — 1 
hope  it  will  be  a  warning  to  all  oth«drs.  Great  in  the 
insinuation  of  the  Shakers,  1  feel  hurt  seeing  the  Bap- 
list  professors'  names  attached  to  statements  denying 
some  part  of  their  statements,  published  in  the  Portrai- 
ture*, which  I  know  they  have  frequently  stated.  I  also 
know,  that  the  same  was  thought  and  practised  among 
the  Shakers.  I  have  seen  children  taken  out  of  bed 
(by  our  elder  brothers)  and  pnt  into  water,  to  puni.sh 
them  ;  and  we  were  taught,  that  scriptures  were  of  no 
use — We  must  know  our  duty,  by  our  elders,  and  be  in 
strict  obedience  to  their  orders,  whether  right  or  wrong 
to  us.  It  has  been  frequently  the  case,  that  people 
were  forbid  seeing  their  children  and  relations.  Any 
one  that  has  been  acquainted  with  the  Shakers,  know 
these  things  are  true.     Threats  and  bribes  are  frequent. 

ALVJE.  BECK. 
Attest,  Israel  Davis,  Isaiah  Chase. 
State  of  J^ew-Hampshire,  \ 

Mkrrimack,  ss.        \  July  14,  1824. 

Persuiially  appearing,  tiie  within  named  Alice  Beck,  and  made  sol- 
emn affirmation  that  the  within  affidavit,  by  her  subscribed  contains 
the  truth.     Before  me,  THOMAS  BROWN,  Just.  Peace. 

We,  the  undersigners,  have  heard  it  suggested,  that 
the  ShakePo  have  stated  that  Alice  Beck  is  a  person  de- 
ranged in  her  mental  faculties.  We  state  that  we  have 
been  acquainted  with  her  for  years,  and  consider  her  of 
a  sound  mind  and  understanding,  and  a  person  of  uncom- 
mon good  abilities.  THOMAS  BROWN, 

NANCY  BROWN, 
ISRAEL  DAVIS, 
A.  E.  THOMPSON, 
PHILIP  BROWN, 
JOSIAH    SARGENT. 
See  the  testimony,  of  Alice  Beck,  Portraiture  »,  141  to  I7t^ 
D 


38 

Are  not  those  sufficient  to  shew  how  the  Shakeis 
got  their  statements  ?  \n  the  Shaker  book,  pages 
7,  8, 1  am  challenged  to  prove  one  instance  of  abuse 
or  immoral  conduct  whatever,  transacted  or  patron- 
ized by  any  true  member  of  the  Society.  I  refer 
you  to  the  Portraiture,  where  are  many  attested 
witnesses.     1  insert  the  following,  they  being  short, 

I,  Moses  Jones,  oi  Enfield,  N.  H.  do  testify,  that  I  once 
was  a  member  of  the  Shaker  society  ;  and  in  the  time 
1  was  an  eye-witness  of  many  surprizing'  scenes — some 
I  will  mention.  When  they  were  gathered  in  a  meet- 
ing, they  clenched  a  female  of  their  Society  with  sever- 
ity, tore  off  her  cap,  pulled  her  hair,  threw  her  down, 
kicked  her,  pushed  her,  dragged  her  around  the  room 
by  hfer  hair,  jammed  and  beat  her  to  that  degree,  that 
it  was  with  difficulty  that  she  got  her  breath.  They 
left  her  on  the  floor  ;  and  from  her  appearance  she  was 
almost  lifeless.  I  was  surprized,  and  asked  the  Elder 
why  they  treated  her  so — he  answered,  ''  because  she 
had  testified  in  public,  as  a  duty,  that  Ann  Lee  was 
lecherous,  and  cohabited  with  the  Elders."*  I  see  them 
attempt  to  cast  out  devils,  heal  the  sick,  but  to  no  ef- 
fect. A  woman  whom  I  was  acquainted  with  from  a 
youth,  who  was  a  regular  steady  person,  until  she,  with 
her  husband,  joined  the  Shakers  ;  after  that,  she  be- 
came crazy,  and  continued  so  until  her  death.  This 
woman  was  a  subject  of  their  pretensions  in  healing. 
This,  with  drunkenness,  and  other  conduct  too  indecent 
to  pen,  caused  me  to  believe  them  deceivers,  and  I  left 
them.  MOSES  JONES. 

State ^^^m.HampsMr^,'^  Enfield.  May  30, 1818. 

Attested  before  me,  JESSE  J.  FOGG,  Jtts.  Peace. 

I,  the  subscriber,  certify  that  Moses  Jones  is  a  man  of 
respectability,  and  is  a  deacon  in  regular  standing  in 
the  church  in  Enfield.  JESSE  J.  FOGG. 

•  I  have  since  learnt  that  the  woman  who  attested  against  Ann  Lee, 
was  a  second,  or  waiter  to  Ann. 


39 

I,  Daniel  Pattee,  of  Canaan,  county  of  Grafton,  Stato 
of  New-Hampshire,  do  testify,  that  when  I  was  nineteen 
years  of  age,  1  joined  (and  my  father's  family)  a  society 
of  Shakers  in  Enfield,  N.  H. — continued  with  them 
about  two  years,  when  I  went  to  the  State  of  New-York, 
to  visit  the  Elect  Lady,  and  the  Elders  of  the  church. 
They  assembled  at  their  house  of  worship,  in  which 
were  about  fifty  persons  ;  there  1  saw  Ann  Lee  locked 
in  the  arm  of  a  naked  man ;  ihey  placed  themselves  in 
the  centre  of  the  company.  One  man  asked  Ann  Lee  if 
he  might  strip  oft"  his  clothes — answer,  "  yes,  you  may 
all  strip,"  and  likewise  all  of  the  men  stripped  off  their 
clothes  !  and  continued  in  that  situation  dancing  and 
carousing  for  the  space  of  three  or  four  hours.  I  fur- 
ther state,  this  and  other  conduct  caused  me  to  leave 
them,  as  this  w  as  the  conduct  of  the  church  and  leaders 
of  the  Society.  DANIEL  PATTEE. 

Grafton,  ss.  Canaan,  May  27,  1818. 

Attested  before  mc, 

JESSE  J.  FOGG,  Jus.  Peaci. 

\_See  Daniel  Pallet's  statement^  page  35.] 

I,  Betty  Morse,,  of  Salisbury,  N.  H.  do  state,  that  in  the 
first  da3^s  of  the  Shakers'  doctrine  being  preached  at 
Loudon  and  Canterbury,  N.  H.  1  was  present,  was  soon 
induced  to  believe  they  were  a  good  people,  and  joined 
them,  (I  was  twenty-one  years  of  age)  ;  which  joining 
was  to  confess  my  sins,  and  be  in  obedience  to  their 
commands.  We  were  ordered  not  to  read  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  my  being  a  professor  of  religion  previous,  it 
caused  me  to  shade  my  windows  at  night  to  read,  and  at 
times  have  read  the  Bible  the  most  of  the  night  through. 
They  prophesied,  that  the  world  should  stand  but  four 
years— -their  assertions  were  such,  they  frightened  many 
to  join  them.  After  I  joined  them,  my  friends  were 
dissatisfied,  and  threatened  taking  me  away,  when  1  was 
conveyed  to  Enfield  for  concealment, — where  I  was 
astonished  at  a  circumstance,  viz.  Lydia  Williams,  wife 
of  William  Williams,  who  was  a  woman  esteemed 
among  the    Shakers,  one  .evening,   she   having  great 


40 

^igns  and  operations,  prophesied  to  the  family,  that  the 
world  would  be  destroyed  that  night,  sat  them  in  great 
terror  and  horror.  She  then  fell  on  the  tioor  in  agita- 
tion ;  John  Johnson,  uniting  with  her  in  the  prophesy, 
ako  fell,  when  they  rolled  at  times  together,  other 
times  apart.  After  awhile  all  ceased,  the  judgment  pas- 
sed, and  the  world  still  remained.  At  this  time  I  was 
an  unbeliever  of  the  prophesy,  and  I  was  ordered  to 
fall  to  the  floor  and  lick  the  dust,  which  I  did.  Soon 
after  I  joined  them  I  was  promoted  to  ride  with  the  min- 
istry from  place  to  place,  which  caused  me  to  become 
acquainted  with  many  singular  circumstances.  Some  I 
will  name.  Once  when  I  was  going  with  Ebenezer 
Cooley  and  James  Jewet,  they  pretended  that  they 
had  a  suffering  to  bear  foroneof  the  Society,  which  had 
confessed  a  sin.  Cooley  said  he  would  not  bear  it, 
when  Jewet,  to  prepare  himself,  stripped  part  of  his 
garments  off,  so  as  to  set  bear  in  the  water,  which  he 
did  for  sometime.  When  night  came,  rum  was  the  an- 
tidote, when  our  Elder  was  dead  drunk,  and  he  puked 
shamefully.  In  the  morning  he  wished  me  to  start  a 
journey  with  him  to  the  eastward — I  refused  going — 
then  he  gave  orders  to  have  all  the  Shakers  reject  me 
— this  for  a  punishment. 

After  this,  I,  with  three  of  the  head  Elders,  started 
a  journey  to  the  Mother  Church,  at  New-York.  When 
we  came  to  a  spring  or  brook  of  good  water,  they  would 
say,  here  is  a  good  tavern,  when  we  stopped,  [they 
kept  the  best  of  spirits,]  we  were  ordered  to  drink  half 
a  pint  of  rum  each.  I  took  mine,  instead  of  drinking  it, 
i  poured  it  over  my  should-er,  and  dipped  water,  and 
drank — thus  deceived  them.  While  with  them  I  have 
spilled  gallons  of  spirit  in  this  way — thus  keep  so-ber, 
while  they  have  been  so  drunk  they  were  not  able  to 
ride,  and  have  gone  into  the  thick  woods  and  lay  for 
hours,  before  they  could  ride.  When  we  got  to  the 
church,  I  found  it  the  common  practice  to  drink  hard, 
and  1  believe  rum  was  the  cause  of  the  death  of  Ann 
Lee,  William  Lee,  and  James  Whitaker.  Ann  Lee  died 
while  I  was  at  the  church,  and  buried. 


41 

While  at  ihe  church,  Love  Meachatti,  neice  of  Jo-»- 
seph  Meacham,  a  young  woman,  said  she  thought  the 
Mother  was  drunk— then  she  was  reprimanded  lor  false 
iuelging  the  Mother — after  much  reproving  her,  she 
confessed  she  was  wrong  ;  then,  for  her  punishment, 
she  was  stripped  naked,  and  walked  between  two  rows 
of  the  brethren,  when  each  one  struck  her  a  blow, 
then  followed  her  and  whipped  her  further. 

They  had  a  custom  at  the  church  of  stripping  the 
females  and  putting  them  in  a  creek  of  water,  which 
practice  was  continued  while  the  Mother  lived.  I  saw 
a  man,  by  the  name  of  Joseph  Bennet,  when  he  asked 
the  Mother  if  he  might  put  Rhoda  Chace  iuto  the 
creek  ?  the  Mother  said,  "  Yea,  Joseph" — when  he 
stripped  and  the  girl  was  stripped,  and  he  took  her  into 
the  water — she  cried  all  the  time.  She  was  ever  con- 
sidered a  clever  girl.  All  those  females  who  were 
not  willing  to  go  in,  she  would  order  to  it,  to  humble 
them  and  mortify  their  pride. 

When  at  Niskeuna,  I  saw  Hannah  Kendall,  [after- 
wards Mother  of  Harvard  and  Shirley  Society.]  When 
living  with  Ann  Lee,  came  to  the  Elder's  room  naked, 
and  talked  with  them.  This  I  think  was  done  in  obe- 
dience to  the  order  of  Ann,  first  Mother. 

One  night,  there  was  many  men  and  women  stripped 
naked,  and  danced  together — I  was  in  another  room, 
but  heard  them,  and  saw  seven  of  them  when  they  came 
cut  to  dress,  while  others  went  another  way.  The  de- 
scription of  Ann  Lee  was,  shortish,  thick  set,  of  a  har- 
dy countenance ;  she  was  vulgar  in  her  conversation, 
she  wore  a  strap  cap,  with  a  chip  hat,  she  had  a  large 
scar  on  her  forehead — William  Lee  was  a  large  boned 
man,  sandy  complexion— James  Whitaker  was  a  mid- 
dling sized  man,  dark  hair,  well  looking — Ocknal  was 
shortish,  thick  set — Partenton  was  also  shortish,  all  of 
which  were  foreigners. 

Ann   Lee   professed  to  be  the   second   appearing  of 
Christ,  and  her  followers  must  believe  the  same  ;  she 
said  she  knew  the  minds  of  all  men,  and  that  she  con.- 
D2 


42 

verged  with  angels  and  departed  spirits  ;  and  that  Moses 
and  Elias,  the  Apostles,  and  all  the  ancijmt  saints,  come 
and  confessed  their  sins  to  har  and  the  Elders,  and  that 
they  could  tind  no  salvation,  until  this  confession  of  sin 
to  them  ;  they  professed  to  have  the  only  power  to  for- 
give sin,  or  save  lost  men.  We  were  compelled  to  obey 
every  order  from  our  superiors,  otherwise  we  were 
sentenced  to  judgments,  which  sometimes  had  a  pow- 
erful effect  upon  us.  1  found  them  fallacious  in  many 
things — was  not  at  all  times  willing  to  obey  their  or- 
ders, for  which  I  was  chastened.  Once  a  judgment  was 
sentenced  on  me,  I  was  bound  in  a  condition  helpless, 
for  hours  ;  we  were  ordered  to  kneel  to  our  leaders 
and  worship  them — we  were  forbid  speaking  of  any  dis- 
satisfaction or  discontent,  and  positively  forbid  saying 
'  any  thing  against  that  vvay,  though  it  was  truth,  for 
that  was  the  way  of  God. 

As  to  children,  none  were  permitted  to  live  with 
their  parents.  1  have  taken  some  from  the  water  pit, 
•when  put  in  by  orders  from  the  one  who  had  the  care 
of  them.  This  was  practiced,  till  I  told  them  I  would 
enter  a  complaint  to  the  selectmen  of  the  town.  Whea 
children  eight  years  old  were  stinted  to  knit  a  feeting 
a  day,  bearly  for  turning  their  head  from  their  work, 
I  have  seen  this  mistress  wring  their  nose  until  the 
blood  run.  I  have  seen  children  kept  on  their  knees 
through  the  day,  knitting,  only  when  they  went  to  eat  ; 
if  they  attempted  to  rise,  be  further  punished.  1  was 
with  them  twelve  years,  six  years  trying  to  find  my 
salvation  by  this  obedience,  then  six  years  in  trying  to 
get  confidence  to  leave  them.  Their  threatenings  were 
such,  I  thought  I  must  go  to  hell  if  I  left  them — their 
conduci  was  such,  I  was  in  trouble  among  them.  At 
length  a  brother  came,  and  assisted  me  in  getting  away. 
After  which,  I  was  so  terrified  for  fear  tbej  would  come 
after  me,  or  that  they  had  power  to  make  me  miserable, 
thatl  could  not  rest  for  a  considerable  time.  There ^s 
certainly  great  infatuation  on  all  who  believe  on  them. 
During  the  time  I  was  with  them  they  made  me  pass 


43 

receipts  every  year— When  I  left  them  I  had  not  clothes 
liecent  to  wear. 

This  is  but  a  short  sketch  of  the  many  scenes  I  have 
seen  and  passed  through  while  with  them,  written  ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  my  memory. 

BETTY  MORSE. 

State  of  J^ew-Hatnpshire,  )  ^      24  1824 

Merrimack,  ss.      ^  y  -  .        • 

Personally  appeared  the  above  named  Betty  Morse,  and  solemnly 
affirmed  the  above  named  deposition,  by  her  signed,  was  just  and  true, 
according  to  the  best  of  her  remembrance.     Before  me, 

BENJAMIN  LITTLE,  J«s,  Peace. 

The  above  named  Bettj  Morse  is  a  member  in 
regular  standing  in  the  Congregalional  church,  in 
Salisbury,  N.  H. 

Taken  from  the  mouih  of  Leavit  Clough,  of  Can- 
terbury, N.  H.  in  September,  1318  : — 

I  was  once  a  member  of  the  Shakers'  society.  I  left 
the  Baptists  and  joined  them,  believing  them  a  more  god- 
ly people.  Their  outward  appearance  always  is  fair, 
I  continued  among  them,  until  I  found  bad  practices 
among  the  leaders.  In  the  time  I  went  to  the  State  of 
New-York  to  s^e  the  first  Mother  and  her  Elders.  When 
I  arrived  there,  the  Shakers  said  she  was  under  great 
sufferings,  and  could  not  be  seen — I  waited  a  number  of 
days — at  length  I  told  them  1  should  iiot  leave  until  I  had 
seen  her,  as  it  was  a  great  distance  I  had  come — they 
consented.  I  had  much  anxiety,  with  fears,  concerning 
her.  I  had  heard  so  much  of  her  greatness  and  power, 
my  apprehensions  were,  that  the  rays  of  God's  glory 
shone  so  about  her,  that  my  eyes  could  not  behold  her 
for  the  dazzle. — But  alas,  Tvhen  I  entered  the  room,  my 
disappointment  was  great.  She  appeared  like  a  drunk- 
en woman — the  smell  of  her  breath  was  like  the  smell 
of  a  rum  hogshead  opened.  She  ordered  me  to  sit  be- 
fore her— -she  attempted  to  talk,  but  her  sentences  were 
broken.  She  appeared  unable  to  walk.  I  believed  her 
intoxicated — (this  was  Ann  Lee.)  At  another  time  there 
was  a  report  in  Canterbury  of  a  mob  arising  against  the 


44 

Shakers.  I  went  immediately  to  the  Elders'  room  to 
acquaint  them — run  up  stairs,  and  rushed  in,  without  lih- 
erty.  The  first  Elder  sat  in  a  chair,  to  appearance  so 
drunk,  that  he  was  unable  to  arise — a  bottle  of  rum 
stood  near,  by  his  side,  on  the  table.  The  assistant  El- 
der, with  a  woman,  sprang  from  the  bed — they  appear- 
ed frightened — the  man's  clothes  were  not  natural — the 
woman  had  her  cap  off,  and  her  hair  was  much  tang- 
led— the  bed  had  the  like  appearance — this  Elder,  as 
soon  as  convenient,  flew  to  the  bottle  of  rum — brought 
it  to  me — urged  me  to  drink.  Th^  Elders'  names  were 
Ebenezer  Cooley  and  Israel  Chancey  .*  At  another  time 
I  saw  Deacon  Zadock  Wright  raging  with  temper — he 
swore,  and  called  some  of  the  Shakers  damn'd  devils 
and  bitch  whores — a  married  man  had  seduced  the  girls 
to  his  will.  Their  abuse  to  children,  breaking  up  fam- 
ilies, turning  off  their  poor,  I  think  is  wrong. 
Stated  by  LEAVIT  CLOUGH. 

The  reasons  that  Mr.  Clough's  testimony  was  not 
attested  by  a  magistrate,  were,  he  said  it  was  true, 
and  he  had  told  all  the  neighbors  of  it  now,  and 
there  was  no  need  of  his  giving  his  oath  to  it.  He 
is  considered  a  very  pious-  man, and  I  thought  it  would 
appear  as  though  I  doubted  his  veracity  if  I  insist- 
ed on  it.  The  Shakers  have  been  to  hiin,  as  1  un- 
derstand, trying  their  influence,  but  they  cannot 
iHcve  him.  Among  thirty  or  forty  depositions  of 
this  nature,  it  is  not  impossible  that  the  Shakers,  by 
their  threats  and  importunity,  catching  at  words, 
should  decoy  some  of  those  injured  persons,  who 
had  once  been  duped  by  them.  The  Shakers  have 
no  conscience  of  truth  or  error,  only  to  carry  their 
point. 

Page  11,  the  Shakers  ask  why  their  accusers  da 
not  bring  them  to  justice  ?   I  answer — The  manner 

*Tbey  both  contintted  with  the  ShakeiSr 


45 

of  your  proceedings  is  thus  :  Orders  are  given  ou{-, 
(obedience  is  always  required)  that  when  perform- 
ed, produces  cruelty  and  injustice.  If  this  is  borne 
with,  all  is  well — If  it  gives  uneasiness — is  likely  to 
bring  disgrace  or  loss  of  numl)ers,  the  serpent  will 
twist  about,  the  orders  are  denied,  the  one  who  in 
obedience  must  obey  his  orders  to  save  his  boul, 
and  avoid  punishment — must  now  take  the  blame 
on  himself,  and  perhaps  be  punished  as  for  a  fault, 
to  screen  the  head  or  church  from  blame.  You 
know  this  is  truth. 

The  sufferings  of  Comfort  Smithave  proveable  by 
witnesses,  who  have  appeared  since  the  Portraiture 
was  published,  (which  are  reserved.)  I  ask,  who 
■shall  be  taken  for  the  crime?  The  orders  of  course 
were  from  the  head  "  Bishop,"  spitting  his  venom 
on  her,  because  she  exposed  him,  but  it  was  those 
ordered  who  put  her  in  the  horse-barn  ;  then  she 
was  cruelized  according  to  further  orders.  She 
died  ! !  Now,  in  case  any  one  could  be  convicted 
of  any  of  this  cruelty,  the  reply  would  be,"  All  this 
would  not  have  been  allowed  of,  if  the  ministry* 
had  known  it  ;'""  when  in  truth  all  those  orders  are 
from  the  head  Shakers ;  and  my  husband  said  he 
must  obey  his  orders,  keeping  me  imprisoned,  if  my 
grief  was  such  as  to  cause  my  death.  A  person 
might  as  well  go  to  the  infernal  regions  and  convict 
old  Beelzebub  of  his  crimes,  by  his  tormented  sub- 
jects, as  to  convict  those  head  Shakers,  while  their 
subjects  think  they  ought  to  support  them  in  all  their 
orders  and  acts,  and  even  take  a  fault  on  them- 
selves to  screen  their  leaders  from  blame — which 
my  husb-ind  said  was  his  faith,  and  must  be  mine, 
or  I  could  not   be  a  good  Shaker.     This  was  ap- 

*  The  ministry  ate  Job  Bishop  ainl  others,  residing  in  the  meeting 
^ouse. 


46 

plauded  by  the  elders,  who  were  then  present — 
and  I  told  them  then,  "  It  was  enough  for  me  to 
bear  my  own  faults  ;  other  folks  might  bear  theirs.'^ 
They  were  then  trying  to  make  me  take  a  fault,  as 
1  have  above  described.  The  day  is  soon  coming, 
when  all  will  see  as  they  are  seen  by  Omnipotence, 
and  know  as  they  are  known  by  him. 

Page  12,  the  Shakers  refer  all  to  read  their  publi- 
cation, "  Christ's  second  appearing,"  or  Shaker  Bi- 
ble, to  learn  their  principles.  Your  second  edition, 
in  places  which  most  expose  you,  are  altered  from 
your  first.  This  work  condemns  all  other  people, 
whatever,  because  no  others  have  Ann  Let  for  a  Sa- 
viour. If  any  person  or  people,  are  disposed  to  up- 
hold them,  against  all  others  in  life — and  particular- 
ly against  those  who  have  suffered  by  them,  worse 
than  a  common  death — I  desire  such  to  come  under 
her  institution,  and  taste  a  little  of  the  bitterness 
which  her  subjects  partake  of,  or  otherwise  be  hon- 
est, and  act  for  the  liberty  of  others,  that  yourselves 
would  like  to  possess. 

Page  13,  they  "  challenge  Mary  M.  Dyer,  or  any 
other  person,  to  substantiate  the  abominable  princi- 
ples and  conduct  which  she  has  slanderously  palm- 
ed on  us."  As  to  your  principles  and  conduct,  they 
are  abominable  ;  but  as  to  your  being  slandered,  I 
deny  it.  That  which  is  stated,  is  effectually  proved 
by  the  most  substantial  evidence  ;  and  you  say,  page 
6, "  But  if  the  foundation  of  any  theory  is  proved 
false,  what  truth  can  be  expected  from  that  which 
is  built  thereon  V  I  apply  this  to  yourselves — see 
Ann  Let  and  her  elders — a  drunken  set  of  robbers. 
Not  only  robbing  people  of  their  properties  and  fam- 
ilies, but  their  characters,  if  possible.  Indeed  you 
possess  such  a  filthy  spii-it  and  disposition,  that  none 
can  touch  you  with  the  least  confidence  in  your  prin* 


47 

cip!es,  without  being  blackened  as  with  indf>Ubl« 
ink — unless  it  can  be  forgotten  that  they  ever  knew 
you.  I  never  even  thought,  that  I  could  be  reproach- 
ed, until  my  husband  fell  in  with  your  principles  ; 
and  whnt  hath  passed  since,  God  knows,  and  will 
judge  in  his  own  time.  You  have  crushed  hundreds 
down  by  your  cruel,  ov  rbeariiig  spirit.  This  you 
know,  and  tremble.  Now,  Shakers,  as  you  know 
those  things  published  in  the  Portraiture  are  correct, 
why  do  you  urge  me  to  expose  you  further  ?  I  was 
in  hopes  you  would  cease  in  your  wickedness.  But 
you  are  determined  to  cover  t«iic  trutn  with  false- 
hood— break  up  families — horde  up  the  property  of 
others — make  slaves  and  monsters  of  other  people's 
children.  Better  for  you  to  have  your  own  lawful 
children — this  might  prevent  the  destroying  young 
females  from  oS"  the  earth  !  My  family  are  perish- 
ing and  dying  among  you,  and  those  who  have  as- 
sisted  the  Shakers  in  their  power  to  hold  my  chil- 
dren, m:iy  consider  themselves  as  assisting  in  holding 
my  daughter  in  those  flames  which  have  consumed 
her  ! !  Jirhe  was  my  only  daughter  and  darling  child 
— and  admired  by  all  who  saw  her.  She  is  gone — 
she  is  no  more  ! !  I  now  plead  for  my  sons,  and  a 
law  of  protection  for  mothers  and  children  when 
the  father  joins  the  Shakers.  My  sons  are  of  some 
bigness ;  yet  the  sooner  they  are  away  the  better. 
1  wish  their  escape  before  they  get  the  capitals  of 
Jinn  Lee  stamped  upon  them  ;  and  as  they  are  not 
learning  any  trades,  when  they  are  of  age,  they  will 
have  nothing  to  help  themselves  with. 

A  letter  from  Mary  Grain,  wife  of  Robert  Grain. 

Dalton,  July  17,  1818. 
Dear  Friend — I  now  embrace  an  opportunity  of  writ- 
ing to  you,  as  like  circumstances  have  been  our  lot.    As 
you  were  acquainted  with  my  circumstances  while  with 


48 

the  Shakers,  you  must  needs  know  what  my  troubles 
were  and  now  are.  Mary,  I  have  waded  through  scenes 
of  trouble  since  1  saw  you.  Through  the  influence  of 
the  Shakers,  my  family  have  been  broken  up,  and  my 
dear  children  torn  from  my  arms  !  I  lived  there  after- 
wards, five  months,  and  only  saw  them  once,  that  the 
Shakers  knew  of,  except  at  meeting.  My  poor  little 
Mary  Ann  was  taken  from  me — she  went  like  a  lamb  to 
the  slaughter  •  She  went  to  meeting  the  next  sabbath  ; 
so  did  I.  The  poor  child  sat  crying  and  sobbing,  as 
though  she  would  break  her  heart  ;  but  I  was  not  al- 
lowed to  speak  to  her.  Oh,  the  distress  1  was  in.  I 
could  uot  eat,  sleep  nor  work.  Eldress  Molly  Mills 
told  me,underthis  weight  of  trouble  and  distress,if  Mary 
Ann  would  not  stay  where  the  place  was  provided  for 
her.  we  must  bind  her  to  the  world.  Such  a  healing 
balm  I  had  for  my  wounded  heart,  when  the^  would  not 
let  me  have  the  care  of  her.  1  found  my  health  wast- 
ing fast — I  knew  not  what  to  do.  To  go  any  further 
from  my  children,  1  thought  I  could  not  ;  but  I  found  I 
could  not  stay  in  such  a  condition — I  was  almost  distract- 
ed. Their  influence  over  me  was  so  piercing  it  capti- 
vated my  reason,  brought  me  into  a  delirium.  A  great 
part  of  the  time  after  they  took  my  children,  I  was  in- 
capable of  any  work, 

I  long  to  see  you  and  converse  with  you.  I  was  not 
allowed  to  speak  lo  my  husband,  nor  look  towards  him  ; 
if  I  did,  I  broke  orders — we  were  faithfully  watched. 
I  am  not  writing  to  one  who  is  a  stranger  to  such  cus- 
toms. After  I  m.oved  to  the  North  house,  where  you 
used  to  live,  I  found  things  very  different  from  what  I 
ever  had  seen,  or  was  taught.  The  testimony  to  me 
had  been,  all  peace  and  union,  without  one  single  jar. 
All  faces  wore  a  solemn  cheerfulness  when  I  saw  them 
formerly  ;  but  when  I  became  one  of  the  family,  I  found 
contention,  sisters  with  brothers  contending  ;  brothers 
with  brothers,  sisters  with  sisters.  They  said  I  might 
contend,  but  not  as  the  world  contende*!.  Oh,  the  de- 
ceitfulness  of  this  people.     I  believe  if  one  half  of  our 


49 

leading  men  knew  as  much  about  the  Shakers  as  I  i^o, 
they  would  not  be  suffered  to  go  on  in  their  unfeeling, 
unnatural,  deceitful  way.  Of  all  people  they  have  the 
most  deceit  covered.  I  believe  the  Lord  will  search 
them  out.  You  know  their  gathering  gifts,  and  sifting 
gifts.  O  Lord,  let  their  deceit  be  laid  open  to  the  world 
of  understanding.  Must  parents  and  children,  husbands 
and  wives,  brothers  and  sisters,  be  torn  asunder  ?  I  am 
almost  overcome  with  grief,  while  I  write.  Please  to 
excuse  my  writing  ;  my  mind  is  so  pressed  with  grief, 
which  causeth  it  to  be  scattered.  Mary,  I  am  anxious 
to  obtain  my  children  in  some  way,  but  know  not  how 
to  accomplish  it.  I  am  in  hopes  to  see  you  when  I  come 
down  in  September.  I  subscribe  myself  your  affection- 
ate friend,  MARY  GRAIN. 

Mrs.  Mary  M.  Dyer. 

N.  B.  One  thing  I  mention,  hearing  so  much  said 
about  it,  that  is — John  Lyon,  in  the  presence  of  Robert 
Grain,  Louisa  Childs  and  m^'self,  said,  that  what  he  said, 
was  the  same  as  though  God  Almighty  spoke,  «r  Jesus 
Christ,  his  Son.     John  Lyon  was  then  an  Elder. 

Page  23,  is  Samuel  Winkley's  statement.  He  is 
son  to  Francis  Winkley,  a  ruler  at  Canterbury  So- 
ciety. If  Samuel  is  a  dupe,  of  course  he  will  sign 
what  his  father  requests  of  him  ;  and  I  find  his  fa- 
ther has  been  as  officious  in  this  last  attempt,  as  any 
in  the  society.  His  very  looks  belie  his  professions. 
If  Samuel  hath  common  sense,  he  had  better  be  hon- 
est, for  he  has  got  out  of  the  reach  of  Ann  Lee,  or 
Job  Bishop,  to  pardon  his  sins  !  If  the  Shakers  so 
far  excel  all  other  people  in  goodness,  holiness,  ten- 
derness and  indulgence,  as  you  have  stated,  why  do 
you  leave  them,  and  live  among  "  tho  nasty,  filthy 
world,  anti-christians" — Shaker  style. 

Page  33,  Doct.  Chadbourne,  hath  again  shewn 
himself  with  the  Shakers.  As  to  what  you  deny,  I 
can  prove  that  Sarah  Sewell  stated  to  me,  that  you 
E 


60 

made  that  renark  concerning  her  sickness.  I  do 
not  doubt,  but  the  sisters  told  a  good  story  to  clear 
themselves.  As  to  her  recovery,  her  health  has 
been  desperate  ever  since  ;  and  though  she  has  been 
wished  dead,  she  still  lives,  and  I  think,  in  the  mem- 
ory of  some,  in  eternity.  [See  Esq.  Gliddeti,  and 
Mrs.  StvidVs  statement^  p.  29.]  I  think  it  very  dan- 
gerousj  for  females  in  particular,  if  it  changes  their 
constitution  as  Sarah's  was  :  i.  e.  Mores  femincrum 
tciatis  mutantis*  I  think  something  more  than  hon- 
or caused  you  to  make  your  first  statement,  favoring 
the  Shakers.  Your  proceedings  were  every  way 
opposed  by  the  General  Court  committee  referred  to, 
who  gave  their  testimony  agains«t  you  and  others  of 
the  craft  ;t  and  your  statements  on  the  subject  shew 
to  any  able  physician,  fallacy  or  weakness. 

Page  35,  is  Thomas  Ward's  statement,  denying 
the  following  statement  of  his  son  Andrew,  who  is 
since  dead. 

I,  Andrew  Ward^  of  lawful  age,  depose  and  say,  I  was 
son  of  Thomas  Ward,  when  a  lad  my  father  joined  the 
Shakers  ;  my  mother  did  not  believe  in  all  their  prin- 
ciples. Some  of  the  Shakers  were  gathered  into  our 
family.  My  father  and  a  Shaker  woman,  who  was  put 
in  mistress,  governed  the  family.  My  mother,  when  in 
a  feeble  state,  would  have  her  orders  from  this  mis- 
tress, to  do  such  and  SDch  work.  She  must  obey  or  my 
father  would  be  offended,  and  treat  her  cruelly — she  was 
ever  afraid  of  my  father.  They  obliged  her  to  stand  at 
the  wheel  and  spin,  when  so  ill,  she  ought  to  have  been 
in  bed.  What  this  woman  said,  we  must  obey  as  the 
word  ©f  God.  I  observed  that  my  mother  constantly 
shed  tears.  My  father  said  he  intended  to  overcome 
Batural  affections — sometimes  he  said  he  had  overcome 
them,  which  caused  the  following  conduct,  and  similar. 
I  had  a  younger  brother,  who,  for  a  trifling  offence,  my 

«  Portraiture,  p.  349.        f  Portraiture,  p.  383, 


51 

lather  called  to  this  mistress  to  hand  him  a  string  ;  she 
handed  him  some  linen  thrumbs  ;  with  these  he  tied  the 
child's  hands  together  around  the  wrists — by  it  hung 
him  upon  a  tree,  from  the  ground,  and  left  him — he 
screamed  a  considerable  time.  I  went  to  him — his 
hands  were  turned  black — I  gulled  the  limb  down  so 
that  his  feet  could  touch  the  ground — the  limb  split 
from  the  tree,  and  my  brother  ceased  screaming.  My 
lather  came  to  know  the  cause  ;  began  to  reprimand 
my  brother  for  breaking  the  limb,  and  my  brother  told 
him  it  was  Andrew  ;  for  which  my  tather  tied  me  up  in 
the  same  manner.  I  hung  until  the  pain  exceeded  all 
I  had  ever  experienced.  I  screeched  according  to  my 
pain — my  father  took  pitch,  and  stuck  upon  leather, 
and  put  it  on  my  mouth,  so  1  could  make  no  noise.  A 
man  by  the  name  of  Brown  took  me  down.  1  was  tied 
up  in  different  ways,  and  punished  to  that  degree,  I 
thought  I  could  not  live.  Once  I  was  tied  and  hmng  up 
in  this  manner  so  long,  I  lost  the  natural  feelings  in  my 
hands  for  three  years.  I  had  brothers  and  sisters  treat- 
ed as  cruel  as  I  was,  and  by  my  father  and  this  Shaker 
mistress.  My  sisters  appear  to  have  their  natural  ca- 
pacity much  injured — I  think  by  no  other  cause.  I  left 
the  Shakers,  and  had  brothers  and  sisters,  who  also  left 
them.  My  sisters  have  suffered  much  for  the  want  of  a 
home  ;  as  their  capacity  was  not  sufficient  to  be  in  an 
unprotected  state.  My  ftither  had  a  good  interest  when 
he  joined  the  Shakers,  but  none  of  us  have  been  favor- 
ed with  any  of  it.  My  father,  for  many  years,  has  been 
an  elder  with  the  Shakers. 

My  mother  lived  a  number  of  years  after  I  left  the 
Shakers  ;  and  I  think  pined  away  through  grief  A 
short  time  before  her  death,  she  sent  for  me  to  come 
and  see  her  ;  1  went — the  Shakers  would  not  let  me 
gee  her — 1  entreated  of  them,  with  tears  in  my  eyes,  tp 
let  me  go  into  her  room — they  would  not.  1  stayed  a 
number  of  hours,  used  every  argument  possible  to  see 
her,  but  in  vain  ;  they  peremptorily  refused.  I  knew 
their  cruelty,  and  my  impressions  were,  that  she  was 


52 

in  trouble,  in  addition  to  her  sickness  ;  my  heart  was 
wounded  in  pity  towards  a  tender  mother — she  was 
ever  kind  to  her  children,  when  it  was  in  her  power  ; 
naturally  kind  hearted.  My  distress  was  great,  but  I 
must  depart.  My  father  has  continued  with  the  Sha- 
kers, and  ever  has  treated  me  like  a  brute,  until  since 
the  trial  of  Mary  M.  Dyer,  in  1818.  1  called  to  see 
him,  he  treated  me  like  a  child.  Since  I  left  the  Sha- 
kers, fortune  has  so  favored  me,  that  I  have  property 
sufficient  to  live  upon  the  interest  of  my  money,  though 
my  health  is  poor. 

ANDREW  WARD. 

Attested  before  me, 

OBADIAH  MOONEY,  Ju3.  Peace. 

A  man  cruel  enough  to  treat  his  family  as  Ward 
did,  is  wicked  enough  to  deny  it,  and  bear  down  the 
name  of  the  dead  ;  and  his  being  a  Shaker,  he  must 
of  course.  There  are  persons  now  who,  at  that 
time,  lived  so  near  Ward's  house,  as  to  get  water 
from  his  well,  eye  and  ear  witnesses  of  the  cruelty. 
Their  being  neighbors  to  the  Shakers,  I  leave  their 
names  until  a  time  of  necessity. 

Sarah  Meacham's  statement,  the  Shakers  can 
harp  upon,  as  they  please.  She  hath  since  moved 
to  N.  Y.  state.  Now  you  can  form  what  you  please 
and  get  her  husband's  consent — for  he  was  before 
bribed  by  you  to  prevent  her  statement  being  attest- 
ed, as  I  understood  by  Esq.  Fogg,  when  he  returned, 
after  he  went  to  see  her  ;  but  her  willingness  to  have 
it  known,  and  her  being  a  very  smart  woman,  I 
Thought  it  duty  to  publish  it.     See  the  following. 

I,  Jacob  Sibley.^  of  Hopkinton,  N.  H.  do  certify  and 
say,  that  1  lived  a  neighbor  to  Jonathan  Basford's  fam- 
ily, when  he  and  his  family  joined  the  Shakers.  Many 
families  joined  and  moved  into  Basford's  family.  I  was 
once  in   cwnpany  with  a  number  of  the  town  of&cers 


53 

tliere,  to  get  a  child  from  them  for  its  mother,  who 
was  in  great  distress  about  it.  The  Shakers  resisted 
for  a  time,  when  one  of  the  town  officers  seized  the 
child,  and  took  it  from  their  hands.  Another  day  in  the 
morning,  a  very  cold  day  in  winter,  I  went  there  for 
blacksmith  work.  When  I  had  been  there  about  half 
an  hour,  I  saw  a  boy  coming  from  the  barn,  (1  should 
judge  he  was  nine  or  ten  years  old)  entirely  naked — 
he  ran  fur  the  house — appeared  in  great  agony  ;  his 
flesh  appeared  frozen  in  places,  (he  was  put  into  the 
barn  btfore  I  went  there.)  I  asked  the  blacksmith  why 
they  treated  him  so  ?  He  said,  for  his  wickedness.  Still 
he  never  named  any  thing  of  offence.  I  shew  resent- 
ment— I  expected  to  see  him  drove  back  again — I  had 
made  up  my  mind  to  fight  for  his  protection  ;  but  I  saw 
him  no  more  at  that  time.  Afterwards  he  was  at  my 
house,  when  1  spoke  to  him  about  it.  The  lad  said  he 
was  treated  worse  at  another  time — He  was  gagged, 
then  burned  in  the  face  with  a  coal  in  the  tongs.  From 
what  I  have  frequently  heard,  they  treat  the  children 
among  them  the  most  cruel  and  abominable  that  crea- 
tures could  invent.     This  evidence  is  true. 

JACOB  SIBLEY. 
Attest,  Henry  Murdough, 
Anna  Sibley. 

1,  Mary  Paige,  of  Weare,  N.  H.  have  been  well  ac- 
quainted with  Jonathan  Basford's  family,  before  and  af- 
ter they  joined  the  Shakers,  and  I  was  very  near  joining 
them  ;  until,  by  their  cruelty,  I  was  convinced  of  their 
delusion.  There  was  many  gathered  into  Mr.  Basford's 
family,  where  I  went  to  meeting,  and  there  saw  a  child 
laying  in  a  sog,  its  flesh  much  bruised,  and  black  and 
blue,  and  much  swollen.  1  asked  the  reason — when  the 
mother  said,  God  told  her  to  kill  it,  and  bring  it  to  life 
again,  and  she  had  done  it.  I  then  said,  your  god  is  the 
devil — then  a  number  came  towards  me,  said — shew, 
shew  !  you  devil  !  shew,  shew  !  1  also  heard,  that  Jon- 
athan Basford  whipped  Sarah,  his  daughter,  near  to 
E2 


54 

death,  to  make  her  own  that  she  had  been  unlawfully 
with  another  man.     This  1  certify. 

MARY  PAIGE, 
Attest,  Tristram  B.  Paige, 

David  Paige. 
Mary  Paige  is  the  widow  of  Samuel  Paige,  Esq.  late 
of  Weare. 

This  Basford  was  Sarah  Meacham's father;  and 
this  was  the  place  and  family  where  Sarah  and  oth- 
ers were  treated  as  her  statement  describes.  [S«c 
Portraiture,  p.  1 29  ;  also,  Martha  Slanley^s  statement 
in  this  hook,  page  25.] 

Page  42,  is  Nathaniel  Smith's  statement,  favoring 
the  Shakers — when  it  is  proveable  that  he  has 
confessed  his  fault  to  Mr,  Beck's  folks,  for  mak- 
ing a  false  statement  against  Mr.  Beck,  favoring  the 
Shakers — which  statement,  was  the  evidence  he 
speaks  of,  which  gave  satisfaction  to  the  committee 
referred  to,  at  Canterbury.  The  money  spoken  of, 
Avas  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  the  lot  with  the 
Shakers  equally,  as  was  the  agreement  between  Mr. 
Beck  and  them  ;  and  Mr.  Beck  was  to  purchase  it  ; 
but  the;y  neither  waited  for  Mr.  Beck  to  purchase, 
nor  would  they  let  him  have  his  part,  after  it  was 
purchased.  But  instead  of  his  having  50  acres  at 
five  dollars  per  acre,  as  they  agreed,  they  said, "  you 
may  have  ten  acres,  if  you  will  give  twenty  dollars 
an  acre;  and  the  Shakers  still  hold  the  land  ;  and 
to  make  their  side  appear  fair,  they,  by  some  means, 
got  this  Smith  to  make  a  false  oath^  to  screen  them. 
See  the  following.  ^ 

I,  Josiah  Sargent,  of  lawful  age,  do  testify  and  say,  that 
I  heard  Alice  Beck  ask  Nathaniel  Smith  how  he  could 
make  a  false  statement  to  the  Shakers,  concerning  a 
piece  of  land  in  dispute  between  them  and  her  husband. 


55 

Said  Smith  replied,  that  he  was  wrong  in  what  he   said 
to  the  Shakers,  (or  before  the  cooimittee.) 

^  JOSIAH  SARGENT. 

Thomas  Brown, 

Israel  Davis. 

State  of  J^Teio- Hampshire,  >  Loudon,  July  14,  1824. 

Merrimack,  ss.       S 

Peisonally  ap[.earing,  the  above  named  Josiah  Sargent,   and   made 
solemn  oath  to  the  above  affidavit,  by  him  subscribed. 

Before  me,  THOMAS  BROWN,  Jus    Peace. 

There  is  in  the  Shaker  book  two  statements  more 
from  persons  (by  the  name  of  Clough)  on  the  same 
subject,  who  were  references  at  the  time  aKiove 
spoken  of,  the  whole  business  was  determined  by 
Smith's  statement  at  that  time  ;  but  it  is  no  matter 
what  the  Shakers  get  to  carry  their  point,  whether 
a  knave  or  a  fool.  Persons  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Smith  may  judge  for  themselves  what  sort  of  a  per- 
son he  is  ;  still  a  man's  evidence  is  good,  until  he  is 
convicted  of  perjury.  The  Shakers  will  crawl  in- 
to their  holes,  cover  themselves  with  rotten  wood, 
mulch  or  stones,  to  screen  from  the  face  of  justice. 
But  the  day  will  come,  when  the  heavens  shall  roll 
together  like  a  scroll,  and  the  earth  shall  melt  with 
fervent  heat,  and  the  wicked  shall  call  for  the  rocks 
and  mountains  to  fall  on  them  and  cover  them  from 
the  face  of  the  Almighty  ;  they  will  find  that  false- 
hood and  deception  will  vanish  ;  while  innocent  and 
injured  persons,  who  have  possessed  their  souls  in 
patience,  shall  come  forth  standing  on  the  sea  of 
glass  mingled  with  fire. 

I,  Henry  Beck,  of  Canterburv,  of  lawful  age,  do  testi- 
ty  and  say,  that  I  am  son  of  A*ice  Beck,  who  has  given 
a  statement,  published  in  the  Portraiture  of  Shakerisra, 
and  a  brother  of  Clement  Beck,  of  Weare,  N.  H.  My 
mother  lives  with  me.  My  being  a  neighbor  to  the 
Shakers  has  caused  me  to  be  willing  to  bear  wrongs 
rather  than  to  en<er  into  a  controversy  with  them ;  and 


56 

hSiVf.  hitherto  declined  to  make  any  statement  concero- 
ing  them.  But  their  imposition  is  such,  I  feel  it  a  duty 
to  make  the  following  remarks. 

One  evening  when  I  was  absent  from  home,  (as  1  was 
informed,)  two  Shakers  came  to  my  house,  and  talked 
very  hard  to  my  mother,  to  make  her  deny  her  state- 
ment published  ia  the  said  Portraiture  ;  but  they  had  no 
influence  over  her  mind.  After  which  they  sent  forme 
and  my  brother  Charles  to  go  to  their  dwellings.  I 
think  it  was  about  the  last  of  May,  1824.  Whei.  we 
came  there,  they  had  a  writing  formed  for  us  to  sign, 
which  was  calculated  'in  my  opinion,)  to  destroy  my 
iriother's  statement,  endeavouring  to  shew  that  my  fa- 
ther was  satisfied  with  a  settlement  about  some  land, 
ivhich  I  knew  he  never  was,  he  spoke  of  his  dissatisfac- 
tion a  few  hours  before  his  death.  I  told  them  1  should 
not  sign  ;  it  was  incorrect.  They  then  laid  claim  to 
some  oi  our  land,  and  said  if  we  did  not  sign,  they 
could,  and  would  take  it  from  us.  1  told  them  I  should 
not,  if  they  took  all  my  land.  This  land  we  had  enjoy- 
ed in  quiet  possession  about  twenty  yeajs,  and  the  rea- 
son why  they  attempted  to  make  the  imposition,  is  be- 
cause the  bounds  have  been  destroyed  by  the  Shakers 
crowding  the  road  on  us.  I  returned  home ;  the  next 
day  three  Shakers  with  Ezekiel  Morrill,  Esq.  who  was 
surveyor,  Jehn  Kezar,  Esq.  and  Miles  Hodgedon,  came 
to  my  house,  notified  me  to  attend  to  the  business.  I 
told  them  I  wished  for  no  quarrel,  and  would  do  nothing 
about  it.  They  said  if  I  would  sign  their  writing,  they 
■would  settle,  and  never  trouble  me  about  it.  I  said 
that  I  considered  that  signing  their  writing,  would  make 
my  title  no  better,  if  it  would  be  mine  then,  it  was  now, 
and  I  should  do  nothing  about  it ;  if  they  wanted  a  quar- 
rel, they  might  begin  as  soon  as  they  please.  After 
much  threatening  they  left  me.  HENRY  BECK. 

Attest,  Philip  Browz«,  Jr.     Levi  Brown. 

State  of  J^tw-Hampihire,  \  ,.    ,.  .gc>. 

Merrimack,  ss.         \  Juiyi4,i8Z4- 

Perscmaiiy  appearing,  the  within  named   Henry  Beck,  and  made  sol- 
emn oath  to  the  tnith  of  the  withia  affidavit  by   liim  subscribed. 
Before  me,  THOMAS  BROWN,  Jm.  Peut. 


57 

About  five  pages  in  the  Shaker  book  are  cover- 
ed  with  deception,  endeavoring  to  disprove  the  cru- 
elty to  John  Oncal  ami  wife.  Dr.  Plaslridge  was 
her  physician,  who  attended  her  day  and  night. 
The  thing  was  not  d6ne  in  a  corner,  it  was  well 
known  to  the  neighbors,  as  this  family  of  Shakers 
lived  a  liule  out  from  their  village.  Oncal,  Stanley 
and  Delano  all  gave  their  statement  at  one  time, 
about  the  same  cruelty,  at  Col.  Delano's,  in  Leba- 
non, N.  H.,  Feb.  24,  1819,  before  Jesse  J.  Fogg, 
justice  peace,  who  is  since  dead. 

The  Shakers  make  much  handle  about  some  ty- 
pographical errors,  as  the  printer  hath  made  a 
number,  and  mostly  in  figures,  some  where  I  have 
referred  to  other  books.  Their  catching  at  such 
frivolous  things,  and  making  such  ado  about  it,  is  a 
sure  evidence  of  the  general  trmhof  the  thing.  Was 
it  not  for  making  the  work  bulky,  and  the  expense 
larger,  1  could  produce  evidence  to  shew  their  fal- 
lacy in  every  particular  of  their  book.  Still  their 
breath  is  so  strong,  in  their  exprrssions  of  writing, 
that  it  is  like  the  fluid  of  a  distillery,  which  will 
fuddle  those  who  are  n-ot  accustomed  to  it,  though 
they  partake  of  none  of  the  liquor. 

Next,  there  is  about  iivc  pages  covered  with  a 
statement  from  my  eldest  son,  Caleb  Marshall  Dy- 
er. I  desire  the  God  of  Jacob  to  have  mercy  on 
him,  and  the  rest  of  my  children,  who  all  have  their 
names  signed  to  statements  in  the  Shaker  book. 
Their  statements  appear  to  be  signed  in  the  same 
manner  that  a  pers-o  would  be  compelled  to  drink 
poison  that  would  destroy  them.  Not  long  sinrej 
my  daughter's  name  was  to  one  similar,  but  they 
cannot  compel  her  to  sign  any  thing  more.  If  my 
children  are  not  all  personally' destroyed,  yet  their 
abilities  will  be,  if,:,th^  continue  with  Shakers. 


58 

Though  my  eldest  son  expresses  that  he  has  no 
feeling  of  tenderness  towards  me,  still  he  is  my 
child,  he  was  a  son  of  my  youth,  and  the  one  who 
first  drew  the  tender  cords  of  a  mother's  love  from 
my  heart,  which  are  stronger  than  the  love  of  lifel' 
I  have  ever  been  willing  to  risk  my  life  for  the  pro- 
tection of  my  children,  and  have  been  made  willing 
to  give  my  life,  if  it  would  relieve  them  from  the 
Shakers ;  but  this  would  not  do  it.  My  children 
are  all  dear  to  me.  As  to  my  eldest  son,  he  is 
made  a  sort  of  an  leader  among  the  Shakers,  and, 
without  doubt,  his  affections  are  fixed  on  some  one, 
as  this  is  the  last  cord  they  attempt  to  bind  with  ;  of 
course,  he  must  do  something  to  bring  honor  to  the 
church,  or  he  will  be  put  down — then  he  must  lose 
his  union  in  this  attachment,  which  his  ignorance 
thinks  to  be"  an  attachment  in  Christ,  because  the 
leaders  have  consented  to  it.  Here  the  affections 
are  given  up  to  the  greatest  pitch,  and  the  ignorant 
youth  imagine  themselves  near  to  heaven,  when,  in 
truth,  it  is  nothing  but  perishable,  and  will  decay 
with  that  which  perisheth.  The  old  Shaker  leaders 
must  know-  this,  (which  causeth  some  of  them  to  be 
deists)  still  they  hold  their  young  subjects,  and 
some  weak  minded  men  like  my  husband,  in  this 
way,  which  is  the  greatest  weapon  they  have  for 
many.  If  the  subject  is  unwilling  to  comply  with 
orders,  the  old  leaders  will  threaten  them,  that 
they  can  break  their  union  to  God,  and  make  them 
feel  the  judgments  of  hell — this  is  often  done,  and 
the  youth  loses  his  confidence  jthe  same  affections, 
which  were  once  justified,  are  now  condemned,  and 
the  subject  feels  as  though  he  was  rejected  of  God^ 
and  despised  by  the  brethren — he  is  like  a  love- 
sick heart-broken  creature.  Many  of  both  sexes 
are  imposed  on  in  this  way,  and  have  no  opportu- 


5d 

nity  for  knowledge  of  this  deception,  why  it  is,  or 
what  it  is — thus  go  down  toiutn.  Let  the  mind  of 
any  youth  be  chopped  up  in  this  way,  it  will  destroy 
the  most  capable  faculties.  The  word  is,  "  If  you 
will  do  somethmg  to  bring  honor  to  the  church,  the 
church  will  honor  you,  otherwise  you  must  be  dis- 
honored." By  such  means  the  Shakers' testimonies 
are  generally  produced — truth  is  not  consulted. 

I  here  observe  that  though  I  do  not  give  heed  to 
dreams,  particularly,  still  I  name  a  circumstance 
which  did  assist  my  mind  to  bear  with  those  new 
aggravations.  Perhaps  three  nights  before  I  saw 
this  Shaker  book,  I  dreamed  that  I  saw  my  daugh- 
ter laying  quietly  dead.  As  I  looked  at  her,  I 
thought  I  saw  Mary  Stevens  (a  Shakeress)  with  a 
cup  of  new  rum,  and  something  more  fiery,  mixing 
with  it.  When  stirred,  she  with  my  husband,  pri- 
ed her  teeth  open,  and  poured  it  down  her  throat. 
My  daughter  moved.  Still  she  appeared  dead. 
As  she  stirred,  I  thought  my  husband  attempted  to 
croud  out  her  eyes.  1  begged  of  them  to  let  her 
alone.  They  continued,  and  she  arose  from  the 
bed,  and  came  towards  me.  They  followed  her 
with  aggravations.  She  looked  ghastly,  and  I 
thought  she  was  dead — I  plead  with  them  to  let  her 
alone,  and  awoke  with  agitation,  when  it  seemed  as 
though  by  some  means  she  was  to  be  brought  to 
view  in  an  aggravated  sense,  which  is  certainly  the 
case.  I  told  my  dream  the  next  morning,  and  I 
think  Mary  Stevens  and  my  husband  are  the  cause. 
Mary  Stevens  was  her  nurse ;  she  prepared  the  cup 
of  mixture,  which  my  husband  assisted  in  giving  to 
Betsy,  inflaming  her  mind  against  me,  at  the  time 
she  was  sick ;  then  the  attempt  to  put  out  the  eyes 
of  her  understanding.  Her  coming  towards  me  was 


60 

her  confidence,  gaining  in  me  as  her  friend,  which 
I  will  show  in  the  sequel. 

In  page  67,  is  a  statement  from  Dr.  Muzzey, 
which  brings  my  sufferings  up  afresh.  I  saw  the 
doctor  but  once  to  know  him,  and  I  should  have 
thought  the  condition  he  found  me  in,  and  the  con- 
versation which  then  passed,  would  have  been  suf- 
ficient to  have  taught  him  better  than  to  have  ag- 
gravated me  with  such  an  imposition.  You  must 
know  for  years  I  had  been  deprived  of  all  oppor-» 
tunity  to  be  acquainted  with  my  children,  and  the 
Shakeis  continually  trying  to  set  their  minds  against 
me  ;  and  now  when  you  saw  me  she  was  in  a  death 
like  position,  and  I  was  willing  to  be  in  a  retired 
room,  where  you  saw  me,  rather  than  give  any  oc- 
casion for  controversy,  as  it  was  what  the  Shakers 
sought  for,  by  every  possible  means,  because  they 
said  that  when  I  was  with  her,  I  got  her  affections, 
which  should  not  be  done.  I  told  you  the  circum- 
stances as  they  had  occurred,  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  Shakers,  so  that  it  is  impossible  but  you 
must  know  their  cruelty  and  oppression.  If  you 
think  my  past  sufferings  for  my  children,  and  the 
then  aggravated  situation  of  my  dear  daughter 
was  not  sufficient  to  try  a  mother's  feelings,  1  hope 
God  will  Riake  you  sensible  by  self-experience,  in 
some  way  similar;  I  don't  wish  your  children 
among  Shakers,  nor  your  wife  to  be  your  enemy; 
but  1  desire  God  to  deal  with  you  in  some  way  un- 
til you  have  better  feelings,  than  to  be  willing  to 
aggravate  the  deepest  wounds ;  I  note  the  following, 
and  leave  the  reader  to  judge : 

I  first  heard  of  my  daughter's  sickness,  by  a  son 
of  Abel  Hutchins,  of  Concord,  N.  H.,  when  he  rc^ 
turned  from  commencement  at  Dartmouth  College, 
the  20th  day  of  August,  1823.    He  said  it  was  no? 


.  J  .u*^   u  was  then  alive.     I  went  immedi- 
expected  that  sj^^^.j^^^   I  arrived  in   town  it   was 

^i!^  ^  u     k   ^as  dead.     This  was  tht  first  informa- 
lliougnt  snr^  j-^^j.  ^,^^^g^     Q^j^.  ^  fg^y  months  pre- 

tionIor|g^.j  ^^^  ^,^g  calculated  by  Shakers  for  a^., 

•J!'"^"^ness.     I  then   told  a  number  of  persons  that 

P^Sealth  would   be  reduced  to  a  skeleton — as  I 

Sew  it  was  the  case  with  all  young  females  who 

were  selected  Eldresses  or  Deaconesses.    My  heart 

is  big  with  sorrows,  and  my  fyesfull  of  tears,  when 

I  realize  what  I  know  of  Shakers.     Oh  that  God 

would  deal  with  them  according  to  their  deserts,  is 

my  desire  and  prayer.     Many  an  inoffensive  female 

hath  been  made  a  prey  of  among  them.     Who  but 

a  God  can  know  my  feelings  !     The  Shakers  cannot 

go  unpunished,  for  their  wickedness  and  lies. 

W  hen  I  left  the  stage,  I  asked  the  inhabitants  if 
they  thought  the  Shakers  would  shut  me  up,  if  I 
went  among  them.  The  people  said,  "  ifjj^iej^ 
shew  you  any  misdemeanor,  they  shall  be  takeir^T: 
and  your  daughter's  sickness  is  so  well  known  tney 
dare  not  insult  you  ;"  and  further  said,  that  people 
had  said  so  much  to  them  since  her  sickness,  they 
had  sent  for  me.  I  then  said  it  was  only  to  take 
away  the  reproach,  or  speech  of  people.  I  went 
with  a  female,  where  I  found  my  daughter  helpless, 
as  pale  as  death ;  she  manifested  gladness,  and  tri- 
ed to  tell  me  how  she  was.  I  found  she  had  bled  at 
the  lungs  four  days  successively — whichwas  abated 
by  bleeding  in  the  arm,  and  giving  her  sugar  of  lead 
which  was  ordered  by  Dr.  Mussey.  This  bleeding  at 
the  lungs  1  consider  was  in  consequence  of  an  unnatu- 
ral change  in  the  constitution  or  habits,  as  she  had 
no  cough,  only  at  times  a  little  hack.  1  asked  my 
daughter  if  she  was  not  started  at  my  first  comin«; 
— she  said,  "nay,  I  expected  you."  1  told  her  I 
P 


62 

was  glad  she  was  so  comfortai^     /• u  .   t 

V       1  T  J- 1      *  »  .  u  ^ ;  from  what   I 

heard,  1  did  not  expect  to  sen  her  d  cu        •  j 

"  I  am  elad  you    have  come  ;  I   alwa  *  .  ' 

I  «      Af*      *u-    1       "^   Knew   you 

^         was  a  good  nurse."     After  this  1  saw  l  •' 

A*-^'>H.while  in   town.     The  female  who  wetvt   ... 

asked  if  I  should  return  with  her.     I  said,  1  ;  l    ' 
stay  and  watch  with  Be»:sy  to-night,  and  wish  . 
of  my   friends  to  come   after   me  in  the  mornu 
My  daughter  could  not  then  lift  her  head  from  tht 
pillow.     Soon  as  the  woman  was  gone,  my  husband 
came  in,  urging  me  to  leave  the  house.     I. told  him 
he  had  a  bad  spirit — I   wished  not  to  contend.     I 
was  then  in  such  distress,   it   seemed  as  though   I 
could  not  contain  myself;  my  daughter  looked  like 
death,  and  ray  husband  sent  in  to  scold  me.     He 
continued  to  urge  me  away;  I  asked  htm  what  he 
meant,  as  they  said  the  Shakers  had  sent  for  me  to 
come  and  see  Betsy.     He  said  "  that  I  might  come 
and  look  at  her,  and  go  away,  as  other  folks  did." 
He  urged  me  to  go  to  the  office.     My  feeftngs  were 
much  injured,  and  I  dared  not  shed  a  tear  in  sight 
of  my  daughter.     I  said  if  I  could  lie  down  in  this 
house,  I  should  be  glad  to — he  urged  me  out.    My 
daughter  said,  "there  is  a  bed  in  this  chamber  over 
head,  which  she  might  lay  on  as  well  as  not."     Ma- 
ry Stevens  then  consented.     As  I  write,  I  am  ready 
to  meet  my  enemies  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  my 
absent  daughter  as  a  witness.     After  retirement  I 
walked  out ;  when  I  returned,  my  husband,  with 
three  Shaker  women,  were  in  the  room  with  Betsy. 
Soon  as  1  entered,  they  began  to  contend  about  my 
going  away.     I  asked  them  why  they  were  so  in- 
consistent ;  they  need  not  fear,   I  could  not  carry 
her  away,  if  they  were  ever  so  willing,  she  was  not 
nble  to  be  moved ;  and   as  to  principles   it  was  no 
time  for  that ;  I  wished  for  her  health,  and  if  there 


63 

was  a  blessing  for  her,  I  wished  she  might  be  bet- 
ter. I  requested  of  them  to  keep  a  still  spirit,  as 
much  as  possible,  and  she  might  get  belter.  1  took 
hold  of  her,  and  assisted  her  in  turning;  this  of- 
fended. My  husband  said  he  could  see  the  devil 
in  me,  trying  to  get  her  afi'ections  ;  he  further  said 
he  would  not  leave  the  room  until  I  did — that  he 
was  a  going  to  watch.  This  was  a -very  warm  day, 
and  six  in  a  small  room,  1  thought  Betsy  could  not 
get  her  breath  among  so  many.  Oh,  I  thought, 
what  shall  I  do  ?  1  arose  from  my  chair  and  said, 
"  I  am  sure  the  number  in  the  room  makes  it  diffi- 
cult for  Betsy,  she  is  so  distressed  at  the  lungs,  I 
will  go  out  if  you  will" — (this  to  my  husband.) 
My  daughter  then  spoke  against  my  going  out. 
When  I  took  my  seat  beside  her,  my  husband  stay- 
ed in  the  room  until  nine  o'clock,  a-nd  said  no  more 
that  time,  then  left.  Three  women  kept  in  the 
room  with  me  until  one  o'clock,  when  I  w  ent  to  bed. 
The  weakness  of  my  daughter  was  such,  she  must 
be  awaked  OBce  in  8  or  10  minutes;  when  1  put 
my  hand  to  her's  she  would  squeeze  mine  with  ten- 
derness— she  rested  quietly.  In  the  morning,  she 
said  she  had  rested  well.  This  morning  1  left,  re- 
turned at  evening  with  elder  Chase — he  desired  to 
see  my  daughter,  but  was  refused;  he  said,  "I 
hope  you  will  let  her  mother  see  her."  1  went  to 
the  house  where  my  daughter  was — they  appeared 
very  cross;  my  husband  came  in  and  said,  "We 
did  not  expect  you  again  so  soon."  I  asked  my 
daughter  how  she  was— she  appeared  dejected, 
looked  miserable.  I  told  him  he  could  not  expect 
but  1  should  wish  to  stay  with  her  whatl  could  un- 
til  some  alteration.  When  I  spoke  to  Mary  Ste- 
vens, she  would  not  answer,  but  looked  surly.  My 
feelings  were  so  pressed  I  was  faint.     I  went  to  the 


64 

outer  dooc,  for  air — I  attempted  to  return — the  door 
was  fastened  against  me — 1  heard  stepping  and 
Strange  voices  within — I  went  around  to  another 
door,  where  1  entered — found  my  husband  with 
some  of  the  leaders  persuading  my  daughter  that 
-Hiy  spirit  was  so  against  the  Shakers,  it  was  the 
cause  of  her  sickness,  and  if  they  could  not  keep 
me  away  she  would  certainly  die  ;  here  they  were 
pouring  down  their  mixture.  I  told  them  I  had 
natural  alTeclions,  and  I  wished  to  have,  and  they 
felt  very  tender  now  ;  and  I  was  sure  that  could  not 
hurt  her  nor  any  other,  and  epecially  when  I  had 
not  seen  her  for  so  long  time.  They  urged  this  on 
my  child,  and  said  the  Governors  had  been  there; 
were  sensible  of  it,  and  spake  of  it.  I  asked  them 
what  Governors  ?  They  said,  Gov.  Woodbury  and 
Gov.  Eustis.  I  then  told  them  that  Gov.  Eustis  said 
at  the  tavern  below,  that  Betsy  could  not  live  if 
she  was  not  moved  from  there  ;  and  that  he  told 
True  Heath,*  a  deacon,  the  same  thing,  and  urged 
it  on  him.  They  utterly  denied  it.  My  husband 
afterwards  said,  Heath  would  take  his  oath  that  the 
Governor  never  said  a  word  to  him  about  it.  You 
will  see,  in  the  sequel,  the  statement  which  the  Gov- 
ernor made  concerning  it ;  I  saw  and  talked  with 
him  myself.  1  mourned  with  distress,  but  slill  kept 
my  tears.  I  asked  him  what  he  thought  my  feel- 
ings were  to  keep  me  so  long  from  my  children,  and 
now  to  see  the  condition  of  my  daughter,  and  you 
*trying  to  irritate  her  feelings,  thus  to  press  me  from 
her.  I  was  conducted  into  a  room  with  a  glimmer- 
ing lamp — you  could  only  discern  that  there  were 
people.  Here  were  my  sons  ;  1  found  their  minds 
had  been  irritated  in  the  same  manner — from  what 


*  This  Heath  was  all  the  one  of  the  naoie  that  belonged  to  the  Socie- 
ty in  that  place. 


65 

I  discovered  from  looks  and  actions,  I  should  as 
soon  thought  they  had  been  other  people's  children 
as  mine.  The  scene  through  so  preyed  on  my 
health,  that  I  was  miserable.  My  husband  said, 
if  he  had  thought  Betsy  would  have  lived  until  I 
could  have  got  there,  they  would  not  have  sent  for 
me  !  and  intimated  to  her  and  the  other  children,  as 
though  1  would  willingly  do  something  to  end  her 
days,  if  I  could  not  get  her  from  the  Shakers  any 
other  way.*      When   in  truth  they    were  afraid  I 

*  Friendly  reader,  you  may  think  there  was  some  uncommon  cause 
for  this  conduct,  and  that  they  would  not  have  treated  any  other  so 
cruel,  but  they  certainly  do.  I  iiad  personal  knowledge  of  tlieir  treating 
a  mother  equally  as  cruel  when  I  lived  wi.h  them,  as  you  may  read. 

A  family  moved  freni  the  countiyof  my  acquaintance.  The  woman 
was  not  so  strong  a  Shaker  as  her  husband.  After  a  time,  her  youngest 
child  was  sick,  when  a  number  of  days  had  past,  the  old  Eldress  came 
into  my  room,  lookiwg  very  grave,  with  a  (kawn  down  face,  she  said, 
"  Mary,  I  have  something  to  say  to  you  ;  Daniel's  folks  have  got  a 
very  sick  child,  they  want  you  should  go  up  and  see  it,  and  advise  them 
about  it ;  they  sent  before  for  ys.u  to  corae  up,  but  we  thougiit  Benja- 
min had  better  go,  he  could  doctor  it  so  as  to  answer,  but  they  have 
sent  again,  and  perhaps  you  had  better  go,  if  you  feel  to."  Ye=,be 
sure,  and  I  would  have  gone  before  if  1  had  known  it,  wliy  did  not  you 
tell  me  ?  Oh,  we  thought  it  want  best,  but  you  may  go  in — Nelly  is 
going;  with  you,  ^she  was  for  a  watcli,  to  see  and  hear  what  was  said.) 
When  1  went  in,  (as  I  was  in  a  shop,)  Mr.  Aldrich  said,  "  Daniel's  folks 
are  very  anxious  to  have  you  come — said  they  knew  you  so  well,  that 
they  were  sure  you  wuuld  come  and  see  them,  if  yuu  knew  the  child 
was  sick,  and  that  they  wished  you  to  come."  I  said,  I  had  not  heard 
of  it  before.  He  then  said,  "  Daniel  told  me  not  tu  leave  the  place 
\mtil  I  saw  you  myself."  The  Shakers  looked  beat.  Nelly  and  I  fitted 
off.  When  we  got  there,  (which  was  three  and  a  half  miles)  the  child 
v/as  dead  and  laid  out.  I  told  them  how  it  was — Daniel  said  nothing 
hid  sliaken  his  faith  like  this.  He  said,  if  I  had  con.e  when  they  first 
sent  for  me,  he  thought  the  child  would  have  been  better.  It  appear- 
ed to  have  had  a  hM  cold,  and  1  think  was  choked  wit!)  worms,  from 
what  they  said.  When  we  returned,  and  told  the  circumstance,  this 
sanctimonious  hypocrite,  (Eldress)  said,  "  Well,  it  is  no  loss,  the  child 
hindered  it*  mother  more  than  it  would  ever  be  profit."  The  child  was 
two  years  old,  yet  it  needed  some  care.  The  next  day  the  child  was 
brought  to  this  house  for  the  funcial — When  tliis  old  Eldress  said,  "1 
wish  to  have  the  funeral  conducted  as  people  of  the  world  do  theirs," 
and  asked  me  the  custom.  I  told  her,  and  as  far  as  she  liked, it  was  con- 
ducted so,  but  there  was  little  similarity.  Just  before  we  went  into  the 
room,  where  the  corpse  was  this  eldress  came  to  me  and  said,  "  Mary, 

F  2 


66 

should  become  acquainted  with  her  and  hep  conii 
plaint.  1  told  my  husband  the  Shakers  could  not  be 
blessed  in  such  cruelty  towards  me.  Oh,  1  thought, 
how  can  I  endure  !  1  retired  early.  Was  I  as  lull 
of  falsehood  and  wickedness  as  the  Shakers  pretend, 
I  should  certainly  destroy  some  of  them  :  as  to  my 
life,  I  should  not  value  it  a  straw,  to  see  my  children 
in  such  a  condition.  It  is  only  the  fear  of  offending 
Omnipotence,  that  makes  me  endure  those    awful 

I  don't  know  but  you  may  think  strange,  but  we  are  going  to  take  this 
opportunity  (o  Jeal  witli  Lucy,  (the  mother  of  the  child)  we  think  now 
is  a  good  lime — her  mind  i«  tender,  and  may  be  easily  subdued,"  (be 
broken,  she  might  have  said.)  I  pitied  the  mother,  but  said  not  a  word, 
They  had  Lucy  up  stairs  dealing  with  her  a  lime — then  we  all  went  in- 
to the  room  where  the  corpse  was — when  Lucy  was  set  back  into  the 
world's  place,  (as  they  call  it)  to  humble  her.  They  stood  in  ranks 
and  sung;  then  the  Elder  said  something  about  their  being  in  obedience 
10  God  in  the  leaders — but  no  prayers.  1  never  heard  a  prayer  from 
one  of  them  while  I  lived  there,  nor  never  heard  of  a  vocal  prayer 
among  them — but  ihey  must  think  of  Mother  and  the  Elders.  Alter 
those  few  words  from  tlie  Elder,  the  cofiin  was  opened,  when  the  Elders 
first  looked  in — the  mother  must  stand  beiiind  in  derision,  and  was  the 
last  who  canie  to  see  the  corpse.  The  grave  was  near  to  the  house. 
When  they  went  to  the  grave,  she  went  behind,  bore  her  burden  alone 
— inhuman  !  Tliey  appeared  to  aggravate  her  feelings  as  much  as  pos- 
sible— I  pitied  the  woman,  but  must  not  say  a  word  to  her — I  thought 
what  would  be  the  case  if  one  of  my  children  should  die. 

I  was  now  promoted  next  to  the  Elders,  and  was  all  the  time  I  was 
there,  until  after  I  made  it  manifest  that  I  meant  to  leave  them.  I  nev- 
er left  the  Shakers  because  they  did  not  applaud  me;  for  thoy  did  ;  and 
I  thought  were  much  pleased  with  me,— but  I  left  them  because  their 
principles  were  not  honest — and  they  lived  in  an  adulterous  spirit,  and 
cruelised  all  whom  they  pleased,  whether  innocent  or  guilty — to  break 
their  spirits  down,  and  submit  them,  to  any  obedience.  And  now  when 
my  daughter  was  sick,  they  thought  it  a  good  time  to  break  my  spirits, 
and  make  me  believe,  my  spirit  against  them  was  the  cause  of  her  sick- 
ness, and  w.ould  be  her  death.  This,  to  make  me  deny  the  One  God, 
and  belfeve  on  them.  Hut  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  nor 
variableness  of  changing,  which  hath  ever  helped  me  to  see  their  fal- 
lacy— and  it  is  He  alone,  who  knows  what  contradictions  I  have  endur- 
ed by  Shakers.  May  He  ever  protect  me  in  ray  sincere  desire. — I  was 
never  at  another  funeral  while  with  them — they  do  not  manage  all  alike; 
such  as  are  ordered  to  attend,  do  ;  others  pay  no  attention.  There  has 
been  a  custom  among  them,  for  the  man  to  bury  his  own  wife — to  put 
the  dirt  on,  to  shew  hjs  dislike  to  natural  affections  ;  and  for  old  travel- 
lers among  them.  The  parents  must  take  no  notice,  when  their  child- 
ren are  buried—nor  children  of  their  parents.    For  a  person  to  cross 


6t 

aggravations  in  patience ;  common  murder  is  not 
more  cruel.  Still,  I  never  attempted  to  injure  them 
in  the  least  thing,  no  further  than  to  expose  them  in 
the  truth ;  and  this  I  did  in  mercy  to  leaders  and 
people,  m  hopes  of  reformation,  and  consider  it  no 
injury.  But  they  never  will  cease  in  their  abuse* 
until  they  are  compelled  to,  although  I,  am  by  theip 
means  accused  of  all  manner  of  evil :  still  1  defy 
them  or  any  other,  to  produce  a  person  who  knows 
me  guilty  of  any  immorality.  As  to  my  inveterate 
spirit,  as  they  term  it,  i  think  1  have  had  enough  to 
try  me ;  and  it  is  not  my  ^  ar  of  them  or  any  other 
person,  or  of  death,  that  has  prevented  me  Irom  re. 
venge,  if  that  had  been  my  oijccf.  They  even  pre- 
tend that  I  would  set  iire  to  them  ;  (1  suppose  they 
mean  their  buildings.)  This  1  could  do  with  all 
ease  if  1  wished  ;  but  this  would  not  remove  the 
cause  of  my  complaint.  I  have  sometimes  thought 
I  would  give  up  my  life  in  defence  of  my  children. 
Scripture  says,  "  No  greater  love  can  any  man  have, 
than  to  give  up  his  liie  for  his  friend."  As  to  life 
here,  it  is  nothing,  to  be  imposed  on  as  I  am.  If  I 
once  disbelieved  in  a  God  of  rewards  and  punish- 

their  natural  affections,  as  the  Shakers  do,  makes  them  worse  than  the 
brute ;  and  I  think  the  meanest  reptile  might  teach  the  Shakers  wis. 
(lorn.  Almighty  God,  make  thy  power  known,  and  awfully  shake  their 
rotten  foundation.  At  another  time,  when  I  lived  with  the  Shakers,  my 
Eldtrs  requested  me  to  go  tooneof  tlieir  new  faeiilies,  and  assist  in  lay- 
ing out  %  child  which  they  said,  had  been  somJ  hours  dying.  When  I 
got  there,  I  found  life  was  in  it,  tliough  you  coKld  not  perceive  it  breathe. 
I  asked  them  lome  questions  about  it,  when  a  t'lought  struck  me  that  it 
might  he  brougliv  to.  I  sent  all  out  of  tie  j-oom  but  its  parents,  then 
I  applied  some  liqui(t  nutriment  to  its  moith,  the  father  thought  it  pre- 
sumptuous— I  told  him  it  could  do  no  Itirt,  if  it  did  no  good.  I  drop- 
ped a  drop  or  two  into  its  mouth,  unti  some  lan  down  its  throat ;  a 
second  time  the  child  stirred — it  re>'ived,  and  afterwards  got  well. 
Now  when  Betsy  was  sick,  (after  th^  had  talked  so  hard  to  me)  five 
of  them  were  taken  down  with  a  fever,  the  Shakers  wished  me  to  go 
in  and  see  them— and  I  don't  doub  would  have  been  glad  to  have  had 
ipy  advice— (but  my  own  child  J  should  kill.)  I  refused  going  in, 
Render,  what  do  you  think  of  sucl  things  .> 


68 

ments,  the  Shakers  would  not  dare  to  treat  me  as 
they  do  :  whatever  I  teel  to  be  right,  I  shall  certain- 
ly do;  and  I  feci  at  times  as  though  I  had  endured 
nearly  enough.  To  think  we  should  have  a  law  ior 
a  woman  to  be  subjected  to  a  husband,  and  by  this 
subjection  must  have  a  family  of  children,  then,  by 
the  same  law,  have  her  children  taken  from  her 
and  placed  where  they  are  taught  to  treat  her  with 
barbarity,  and  thatshe  is  a  monster  in  the  world,  is 
too  much  to  be  borne  with.  It  would  be  better  that 
there  never  was  a  woman,  or  that  the  men  should 
never  have  one,  unless  they  will  make  a  law  for 
their  protection,  with  their  children. 

After  my  early  retirement,  the  next  morning  I 
found  my  daughter  very  ill;  she  lay  in  a  sog  with 
her  eyes  fast  closed  the  most  of  the  day — she  looked 
like  death.  My  husband  was  in,  placed  himself  at 
the  foreside  of  the  bed  as  a  defiance  to  me.  1  sat  at 
the  other  part  of  the  room — said  nothing  until  about 
eleven,  when  1  said,  we  shall  not  have  her  long. 
His  feelings  seemed  a  little  moved,  when  he  spake 
to  one  of  the  sisters  to  take  his  place,  and  left  the 
rot)m.  Just  before  night,  I  seated  myself  at  fhe  foot 
of  the  bed  where  I  could  look  in  her  face;  1  raised 
my  desires  to  God  in  her  behalf,  that  he  would  drive 
back  this  power  of  death,  which  then  was  preying 
upon  her.  She  soon  opened  her  eyes,  and  saw  and 
spake  to  me,  whon  1  gave  her  some  inforn^alion 
about  our  relations  in  the  country,  which  was  the 
first  information  she  had  had  from  them  since  she 
"was  eleven  years  old;  she  was  now  twenty-one — '■ 
she  appeared  satisfied  in  hearing  from  them.  She 
was  never  again  in  suc'i  a  death-like  posture  while 
I  continued  in  the  neighborhood,  which  was  five 
weeks.  I  returned  to  my  boarding  place  that  night, 
which  was  a  mile  and  a  half — returned  the  next 


69 

morning,  when  all  looked  with  sourness  ;  my  davjgh- 
ter  appeared  afraid  of  me — was  very  ill ;  i  suppose 
she  had  had  another  lecturing  about  me.  I  soon 
told  them,  if  1  could  assist  or  advise  in  any  thing 
for  her  comfort  I  was  willing;  otherwise,  1  would 
retire  to  the  chamber,  as  I  wished  to  be  near  her 
until  some  alteration.  They  refused  all  assistance, 
and  were  not  even  willing  that  I  should  brush  the 
flics  from  off  her.  I  withdrew  to  my  chamber,  where 
in  m}'  feelings,  I  buried  my  daughter  :  she  looked 
as  though  every  hour  would  be  her  last.  1  kneeled 
and  desired  the  eternal  power  to  assist  me,  and  have 
mercy  on  the  soul  of  my  poor  distressed  child. 
The  scene  was  so  aggravating  that  I  felt  the  need 
of  divine  assistance  to  bear  my  spirits  up. 

In  the  afternoon.  Doctor  Mussey  was  escorted  in- 
to \he  chamber  by  my  husband,  when  1  was  intro- 
duced to  him  ;  other  Shakers  stood  in  the  spaceway 
ihrougii  the  door.  I  was  glad  to  see  the  Doctor — 
was  thai.kful  he  had  some  charge  of  my  daughter. 
I  soon  learned,  from  an  observation  my  husband 
made,  that  they  had  been  trying  to  sour  the  mind 
of  the  Doctor  against  me ;  I  then  told  him  the  par- 
ticulars as  I  have  above  named,  which  must  have 
shewn  to  the  Doctor  why  my  daughter  made  such 
an  observation,  which  1  do  not  doubt  she  did,  if  she 
Relieved  any  thing  which  her  father  or  the  Elders 
said.  (This  caused  her  to  be  afraid  of  me — when 
previously  the  Shakers  said,  1  had  the  best  under- 
standing of  sickness  of  any  among  them,  and  inti- 
mated abroad  (as  I  have  since  learned)  that  I  had 
the  healing  power,  which  was  in  consequence  of  my 
being  favored  in  nursing;  but  now  I  was  of  the 
world.)  My  husband  said  in  an  aggravating  way, 
that  \  said  I  knew  what  ailed  my  daughter  and  what 
would  cure  her,  as  though  I  knew  more  than  the 


70 

iDoctor;  but  that  was  not  the  case.  It  was  this: — 
When  Betsy  told  me  how  she  was,  I  told  her  I  un- 
derstood her  case  well  ;  1  had  been  similar  myself, 
while  I  was  with  the  Shakers,  and  it  is  a  wonder  I 
am  alive.  I  did  not  bleed  at  the  lungs  as  she  did  ; 
the  reason  was,  my  blood  was  very  low,  but  hers  was 
full.  1  had  bled  some  at  the  lungs,  and  was  other- 
wise affected  as  she  was,  and  the  same  that  helped 
me,  1  thought  would  her.  One  of  the  Shaker  women 
said  then,  '  Betsy  and  her  mother  are  very  much 
alike  every  way.' 

Had  not  my  daughter  been  intended  for  the  Dea- 
con's Office,  she  might  have  been  well  now.  That 
Office,  a  den  of  abominations,  your  union  and  rela- 
tions produced  by  what  you  call  "first  mother's 
spirit,"  you  old  Shakers  must  know  it  is  the  essence 
of  adultery  ;  but  your  ignorant  children  and  youth 
what  can  they  know,  only  as  you  teach  thom  ? 
How  can  I  enduie  this  imposition  on  my  family  !  (I 
desire  the  Lord  to  teach  them  by  his  wisdom  in  the 
stillness  of  their  minds.)  If  you  old  5^i)akers  are 
pleased  to  call  this  fire  or  flame  the  fire  of  the  Hoi}' 
Ghost,  how  shall  they  know  the  difference?  While 
the  delicate  constitution  is  soon  devoured,  I  desire 
Jehovah  to  interfere  in  behalf  of  the  innocent — to 
display  that  light  which  shall  discover  all  false  re- 
ligion. 

I  conversed  with  the  Doctor  perhaps  half  an  hour, 
when  my  husband,  to  shew  his  kindness  to  me,  of- 
fered in  a  gift,  Marshall  my  son,  to  go  with  me  to 
my  boarding  place,  and  that  he  should  carry  and 
fetch  me  at  any  time.  Oh,  this  intriguing  deception 
to  make  a  fair  appearance,  when  previously  he  had 
been  as  cruel  as  possible !  I  did  not  refuse  the  of- 
fer, thouih  I  could  see  it  was  to  blind  the  eyes  of 
strangei;s.     Ti.^s   was  the  last  opportunity  I   had 


71 

with  my  son;  they  had  got  the  good  name,  an<?  ac- 
complished their  cruelty.      After  this,  I  saw  my 
daughter  only  once  in  four  or  five  days.     When  1 
had  been  in  town  two  weeks  Betsy  was  still  feeble ; 
her  flesh  wore  off,  and  she  grew  more  faint.     I  ask- 
ed her  if  she  took  any  thing  to  nourish  her  ;  she 
said  nothing  but  the  water  of  boiled  wheat,  barley, 
thin  gruel,  &c.,  with  frequent  cathartics.     I  found 
the  Doctor  did  not  come  to  see  her  now,  and  those 
drinks  appeared  to  sicken  her.   1  was  sure  she  could 
not    enilure   in  this    way,   and    in   my    absence  I 
had  got  some  courage.     Now,  for  the  first  time,  I 
interfered  in  the  nursing;  I  told  them  to  let  her 
have  something  to  eat.     "  Nay,"  said  they,  "  we 
must  obey  the   Doctor's  directions."     I   said   the 
Docior  did  not  visit  her  now,  and  she  could  not  live 
as  she  vrvx^i-,  »€  they  would  let  her  have  something 
nourishing  to  ew  and  it  hurt  her,  I  would  bear  the 
blame ;  otherwise,  she  would  die  at  any  rate.     I 
soon  returned  ;  the  second  Uay  after,  I  went  again— 
she  was  more  comfcrtable.     Ruth,  her  cook,  said 
she  gave  her  some  victuals  the  day  brfore,  and  more 
that  day;  it  relished  well,  and  she  was  better. 

After  this,  she  got  bettf  r  very  fast,  and  her  attach- 
ment was  towards  me  from  that  time  ;  she  tried  to 
shew  me  favor  in  every  possible  thing.  The  nurses 
were  more  pleasant,  and  I  think  if  I  had  stood  more 
for  my  right,  they  would  not  have  dared  to  treat  me 
so  bad  before.  The  next  time  I  went  to  see  her, 
she  sat  up  some;  she  asked  why  it  was  that  our 
family  was  there  and  1  away,  and  why  this  contro- 
versy. I  told  her  she  was  not  able  to  talk  nor  hear 
me  talk,  if  she  was  I  would  tell  her;  she  then  said, 
if  ever  I  am  able,  come  and  tell  me  ;  I  told  her  I 
would— all  this  before  the  Shakers.  They  would 
not  let  me  see  her  one  minute  alone. 


f72 

rl«tayedin  the  neigh  Viorhood  three  weeks  after 
she  began  to  eat  food,  and  she  gained   as  fast  as  I 
ever  saw  one  from  so  low  a  state.     I  concluded  that 
in  a  few  weeks  more  she  would  be  able  to  leave,  if 
it  was  her  choice,  and  then   I  would   tell  her  my 
history  of  the  family  being  there,  and  why  the  con- 
troversy ;  and  she  knowing  so  many  circumstances, 
It  would  heJp  to  explain  the  rest,  which  would  con- 
vmce  her  so  as  to  break  those  bands  of  ignorance 
which  now  held  her  mind.     This  I  intended  before 
I  left  town.     I  soon  found,  that  by  the  Shakers'  in- 
trigue, I  was  compelled  to  take  a  journey.     The 
day  before  I  left,  1  called  to  see  my  daughter  ;  she 
had  left  her  room,  was  sitting  up,  and  did  all  the 
time  I  was  with  her — said  she  eat  her  food  well- 
was  comfortable — thought  she  should  soon  be  about 
—she  had  no  cough — said  if  she  sho^/d  never  be  as 
rugged  as  formerly,  she  was  as  lively  to  live  years 
as  any  one.     I  told  her  I  was  unJer  the  necessity  of 
going  away,  but  hoped  I  shouU  hear  from  her,  and 
that  she  would  be  well  whep  1  returned.     I  further 
said,  if  you  are  dealt  witt   as  other  children  are 
when  their  parents  are  away,  you  will  be  told  all 
manner  of  evil  about  me;  but  let  you  hear  what 
you  will,  you  always  remember  that  I  try  to  live 
every  day  so  as  to  be  accepted  by  that  God  who 
sees  me  at  all  times.     She  said,  "  what  I  see  and 
know,  I  know,  but   I   shall  not  believe  every  re- 
port."*    I  was  sorry  she  said  this,  as  the  Shakers 
were  present,  and  if  they  thought  she  had  any  con- 
fidence in  me,  and  would  be  likely  to  leave  them, 
they  would  rather  she  would  die  :  and  this  could  be 
easily  accomplished — and  1  do  not  feel  as  though 
she  was  fairly  dealt  by  in  the  first  place,  nor  in  the 
last.     It  makes  my  heart  ache  when  I  think  of  it. 

•  This  was  in  the  presence  of  Elder  Chase's  wife,  who  went  with  me. 


73 

1  bid  her  tare.wel],with  as  much  expectation  of  seeing 
her  again,  and  relieving  her  from  that  place,  as  I 
ever  expected  to  return. 

I  now  sketch  my  journey.  I  returned  to  Con- 
cord, forty  miles,  by  stage,  the  last  of  September. 
From  thence  took  a  number  of  hundred  bopks,  by 
stage  went  to  an  uncle's,  of  mine  in  Hampstead. 
The  10th  of  October,  my  uncle  went  with  me  to 
Newburyport,  Mass.  He  lelt  me  at  Maj.  Swett's. 
1  found  my  feelings  brought  to  a  critical  place-^ 
among  strangers,  on  business  the  most  unexpected 
to  me.  This  was  the  first  view  I  ever  had  of  a  sea- 
port— people  were  very  humane.  I  told  them  the 
necessity  of  my  feelings  to  have  the  public  know 
the  Shaker  principles,  that  they  might  avoid  suffer- 
ing by  their  deception.  I  also  informed  people 
how  the  Shakers  had  managed  to  obstruct  the  sale 
of  my  books.  I  felt  the  presence  of  the  Lord  with 
me  at  all  times,  which  bore  my  spirits  up.  After 
two  weeks  in  this  excellent  family,  and  the  sale  of 
a  number  of  books,  I  went  by  stage  to  Ipswich, 
-Mass.,  where  I  stayed  one  day,  and  sold  many 
books.  From  thence  to  Essex,  where  were  my  an- 
cestors— (where  I  found  my  Marshall  name  de- 
scended from  the  Scotch.)  Here  I  stayed  sono€ 
days — held  thanksgiving  with  them — sold  many 
books.  In  all  places  I  made  calls  on  ministers,  and 
persons  in  authority,  that  the  information  might  be 
of  use  for  protection  in  a  temporal  and  spiritual 
sense.  The  next  1  went  to  Manchester,  where  I 
was  received  very  cordially  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Em- 
erson and  wife,  and  by  many  other  worthy  people, 
one  who  is  desigjiated  by  the  title  of  the  good  Mrs. 
Martha  Lee.  Here  I  made  a  short  tarry — sold 
many  books.  From  thence  I  went  to  Beverly 
farms,  to  a  relation,  Timothy  Marshal).  Providence 
G 


74 

is  bountiful  in  wealth  to  this  family.  Of  one  of  his 
son's  wives  I  had  a  beautiful  mahogany  work  box 
for  my  daughter,  it  contained  every  convenience. 
John  Marshall,  son  of  this  Timothy,  commanded  the 
vessel  which  conveyed  Harriet  Newell,  with  her 
husband,  to  the  East-Indies,  the  first  missionaries 
from  America.  I  enjoyed  myself  so  well  in  this 
place,  I  should  like  to  have  stayed  months,  would 
my  business  allowed  of  it.  I  passed  from  this  to 
Windham,  where  I  made  a  call  on  Deacon  Dodge  ; 
here  I  enjoyed  religious  conversation.  Called  on 
Mr.  Sperry,  the  minister  ;  he  appeared  a  pleasant 
man,  of  delicate  feelings — I  thought  he  would  hard- 
ly endure  the  task  Providence  had  allotted  to  him  ; 
but  we  are  all  fitted  to  our  condition.  From  thence 
I  went  to  Danvers,  Beverly  town,  and  the  edge  of 
Salem,  where  I  stayed  three  weeks,  sold  out  my 
books,  sent  for  more,  sold  them.  In  those  towns  are 
various  dt  noaiinations  of  professors,  and  I  think 
good  people  in  all.  My  being  a  stranger,  gave  me 
opportunity  to  prove  the  charity  or  humanity  of  all; 
and  I  have  reason  to  render  gratitude  to  professor 
and  non-professor,  as  far  as  I  had  any  acquaintance. 

The  last  of  December  I  returned  to  Concord, 
N.  H.,  where  I  expected  to  hear  from  my  sick 
daughter,  as  I  had  sent  particular  word  for  them 
to  write,  if  there  was  any  alteration.  I  found  no 
letter  ;  therefore  concluded  she'  was  mending.  I 
was  much  agitated  in  my  sleep  about  her,  and 
thought  her  discontented,  which  1  often  observed 
while  on  my  journey — and  further  said,  if  I  lived 
to  finish  my  task,  I  Avould  relieve  her  from  that 
place,  or  die  myself,  (that  was  if  she  was  alive.) 

The  3d  day  of  January  I  took  the  remainder  of 
my  books,  went  to  Salem,  Mass.,  from  thence  to 
Lynn,  where  I  had  many  pleasant  visits  with  people 


75 

of  various  sects  and  denominations,  and  among  all, 
are  those  who  may  be  designated  Friends,  accord- 
ing to  Scripture,  which  says,  "  Ye  are  my  friends, 
if  you  do  whatsoever  I  command  you,'"*  that  is, 
friends  to  the  Lord.  It  is  not  any  particular  sect, 
referred  to,  as  friends,  but  they  who  do  the  com- 
mands of  God,  some  of  which  I  think  may  be  found 
among  professors  and  non-professors.  The  Lord 
looks  at  the  heart  or  intent  of  the  mind.  My  busi- 
ness of  selling  books,  introduced  me  lo  many  peo- 
ple, also  to  religious  principles  ;  and  I  shall  have 
reason  continually  to  praise  God,  and  the  people, 
for  the  many  blessings  and  favors  shewn  me  in  my 
singular  journey.  At  Lynn,  I  soon  found  myself 
with  those  I  formerly  boarded  with  at  Concord, 
N.  H.,  and  those  who  helped  me  to  bear  my  afflic- 
tions at  that  awful  lime  when  first  I  petitioned  for 
my  childrcns'  release,  in  1817.  At  that  time  1  was 
with  my  brother;  still  I  was  such  a  stranger  in  the 
world,  it  seemed  more  than  I  could  endure.  Had 
there  then  been  made  a  law  of  protec'ion,  it  would 
have  saved  my  family  from  much  trouble,  my  friends 
from  anxiety,  and  my  daughter's  life.* 

There  hath  been  many  aiguments  against  a  peti- 
ion  of  this  nature,  and  by  Shakers.  One  is,  taking 
up  the  time  of  the  Court,  which  is  a  great  expense 
to  the  St:ito — When  there  are  frivolous  things  dwelt 
upon,  such  as  altering  persons  names  from  John  to 
Peter,  or  something  similar,  such  as  a  tax  on  some 
non-resident  land,  for  a  road  which  will  never  be 
travelled,  and  if  granted,  only  a  road  bushed  out  ; 

*  You  will  begin  to'tliink  I  am  not  a  prcclestinarian— T  am  so  far  as 
this,  I  believe  it  is  predesticated,  that  a  large  quanlitv  of  poison  will 
kill  a  man  if  he  takes  it,  and  to  cut  a  man's  throat  "he  will  bleed  to 
death,  nr  to  stop  his  breath  he  will  die,  &c.  ;  but  the  case  is  here,  we 
have  discretion  sufficient  to  teach  uf  these  things,  and  that  we  ought  to 
avoid  it,  otherwise  we  are  accountable,  which  brings  the  judgment 
near. 


76 

which  is  all  done  by  some  jockey  who  wants  the 
job,  to  draw  a  booty  from  some  land  holder  in 
New- York,  or  get  his  land  at  vendue.  This  all  goes 
well ;  but  when  a  mother  is  pleadmg  for  the  life  and 
safety  of  her  children,  her  dearest  self,  the  expense 
of  the  State  is  sounded,  or  the  Constitution  is  in 
danger.  Although  this  is  the  case,  I  don't  mean  to 
reflect,  for  1  believe  every  candid  person,  who  had 
an  understanding,  would  have  been  glad  to  have 
had  a  law  of  redress  in  such  cases.  But  we  know 
that  courts  and  laws  are  governed  by  few  persons, 
and  these  govern  the  community ;  and  the  Shakers 
are  subtle  enough  to  use  all  the  intrigue  possible  to 
blind  the  minds  and  get  influence  over  this  few.  If 
the  larum  of  expense,  or  the  danger  of  the  Consti- 
tution does  not  answer,  they  will  begin  to  cry  down 
the  petitioner — send  their  hounds  out,  who,  for  a 
ham,  a  cheese,  a  keg  of  butter,  or  a  little  cash,  will 
misrepresent  and  calumniate  with  serpents'  stings; 
and  surely  they  must  be  faithful  to  insinuate  as 
much  as  possible  in  the  minds  of  those  strangers, 
who  sit  at  the  head  of  business,  and  soon  there  is 
such  a  mist  cast  over  the  mind,  that  it  will  look 
like  a  disgrace  to  meddle  with  any  thing  for  such  a 
character,  though  of  ever  so  great  consequence  to 
thousands. 

My  friends,  I  think  this  circumstance  pleads  for 
itself:  was  I  guiltj  of  any  immorality,  as  they  and 
their  advocates  attempt  to  insinuafe^hf  y  would  re- 
joice to  devour  me.  No  earthly  wealth  would  be 
that  gratification  to  the  Shakers,  that  it  would  to  f^et 
any  real  occasion  against  me.  I  defy  them  to  do 
it;  1  am  willinc  my  character  should  be  searched. 
Was  it  more  known  as  it  is  in  reality,  i^  would  be 
better  for  me.  I  am  not  only  caluniniaK  d  iri  print, 
bit  persons,  (or  a  person)  who  call  themselves  hon- 


77 

orable,  (to  favor  the  Shakers)  have  in  large  assem- 
blies reported  defamation  against  me,  which  I  can 
prove  has  not  the  least  color  of  truth.  Such  things 
are  not  to  be  borne  with,  and  such  persons,  if  they 
di.)  not  desist,  I  shall  call  them  by  name,  and  they 
shall  prove  their  assertions,  or  1  will  prove  them 
guilty  of  falsehood.  For  a  man  to  contend  with 
men  of  equal  rights,  would  be  more  of  a  conquest, 
than  to  contend  with  a  defenceless  woman  who  hath 
a  husband,  and  a  banditti  of  Shakers  against  her. 
One  Shaker  in  other  men's  clothes,  are  worse  than 
ten  with  a  broad-rimmed  hat  and  a  drab  coat — those 
people  know  where  to  look  for  them.  That  God 
who  searches  all  hearts,  knows  I  am  not  guilty  of 
any  foul  conduct.  I  do  not  say  this  for  promotion 
in  life;  I  have  nothing  to  live  for  but  to  wait  God's 
time  and  do  his  will :  why  I  say  it  is,  because  it  is 
truth  and  for  truth's  sake.  It  is  unpleasant  to  speak 
in  favor  of  one's  self,  but  in  this  case  the  truth  ought 
to  be  defended  as  well  as  in  any  other.    ' 

If  this  session  should  pass,  and  no  redress,  af- 
ter all  the  exertions  made  and  sufferings  endured, 
I  do  not  know  what  other  woman  would  dare  to 
make  an  attempt  for  relief,  though  they  suffer  ever 
so  much :  we  might  as  well  die  by  the  Shakers'  cru- 
elty, as  by  the  unfeeling  disposition  of  others.  I 
was  but  thirty  years  old  when  my  husband  entered 
into  their  base  principles.  We  were  growing  in 
property,  had  a  pleasant  family,  and  lived  in  chris- 
tian harmony.  Age  had  not  cast  a  frown  upon  me. 
Since  then,  what  a  destruction  hath  taken  place! 
my  family  destroyed — property  gone — health  injur- 
ed— constitution  wrecked,  which  is  caused  by  un- 
just cruelty  in  consequence  of  the  Shakers.  The 
thoughts  of  those  injuries  are  bowing  me,  as  a  worm 
at  the  root  of  a  well  grown  branch  ;  it  withers  and 
G2 


t*  »•>*, 


78 

falls  by  means  un$een.  I  am  willing  to  meet  all  my 
adversaries  at  that  day,  when  all  are  brought  before 
a  righteous  tribunal, 

I  return  to  my  journey. — After  being  in  Lynn 
some  weeks,  I  was  invited  to  a  Quaker  family,  near 
Harvard  and  Shirley  Shakers.  I  thought  it  duty 
to  scatter  my  books  as  much  as  possible,  for  infor- 
mation. I  went  by  stage  through  Boston,  Chailes- 
town,  Cambridge,  and  other  towns,  to  Marlborough, 
Stow,  Bolton,  Shirley  and  Harvard.  When  in  Har- 
vard town,  I  heard  that  my  daughter  was  dead  ;  it 
shocked  me  very  much,  as  I  had  not  heard  any  thing 
from  her,  and  so  far  expected  her  that  I  purchased 
a  number  of  articles  of  clothing  for  her.  The  news 
so  shocked  me  as  to  take  away  my  strength  :  my 
disappointment  was  such,  I  felt  unable  to  attend  to 
my  business.  After  selling  a  few  books,  I  returned 
to  Marlborough,  where  1  stayed  a  few  weeks  and 
§old  'ibout  seventy  dollars  worth  of  books.  I  re- 
turned to  Brighton,  where  I  sold — and  in  Medford 
and  Cambridge,  many  more.  From  thence  1  went 
to  Roxbury,  where  1  called  on  Governor  Eustis  ;  a 
lady  from  town  went  with  me.  I  first  sent  a  line  to 
him,  when  he  sent  for  me  in  ;  when  he  said,  "  Is  this 
Mrs.  Dyer  ?"  .  I  answered  it  is ;  he  said,  "  I  am 
glad  lo  see  you  ;  bow  does  your  daughter  do?"  I 
told  him  she  was  dead ;  he  then  related  to  me  the 
following  circumstances,  and  requested  Mrs.  Hawes 
to  give  me  a  statement  of  the  same,  which  I  here 
insert. 

Roxhury^  Massachusetts, 
This  may  certify,  that  this  12th  day  of  March,  1824, 
1  went  in  company  with  Mrs,  Mary  M.  Dyer  to  the  house 
of  Governor  Eustis,  of  this  State,  who  related  to  her  in 
presence  of  the  Attorney-General  and  myself,  the  follow- 
ing circumstance  respecting  her  daughter  (Betsy  Dyer) 


•yd 

wbom  he  Sttw  with  the  Shakers  at  Enfield,  N.  H.,  when 
on  his  journey  to  Hanover,  to  Commencement.  That 
he  attended  their  worship  ©n  Sabbath  in  August  last,  and 
without  any  information,  his  attention  was  drawn  to  this 
daughter — that  he  requested  to  know  who  she  was,  and 
wished  to  see  her,  and  that  she  came  in  with  an  old  lady. 
Then  he  spake  with  emphasis :  "  Never  did  I  behold  a 
more  interesting  countenance  on  a  female  than  hers" — 
said  he  conversed  some  with  her ;  found  her  health  bad. 
He  left  and  wftnt  to  Hanover.  Shortly  after.  Heathy  a 
Shtker^  came  to  Hanover  to  fetch  some  articles  to  him 
of  their  manufacture  which  he  had  previously  purchas- 
ed :  then  said  he,  "  I  asked  after  this  young  woman ; 
Heath  said  she  was  worse,  and  that  he  had  come  for 
Doctor  Muzzey.  I  told  him  if  he  should  get  all  the 
physicians  in  the  country,  she  will  be  no  better,  unless 
she  be  taken  out  of  that  family :  then  said  he  made  ma- 
ny proposals  for  this  purpose,  but  to  no  effect.  Heath 
insisted  she  must  be  there  ;  then  he  with  resolution  ob- 
served, '  What,  not  to  save  life,  won't  you  let  her  go  ? 
not  to  save  life!'  Heath  then  hesitated  and  said,  '  we 
will  thinkof  it,  but  there  are  many  difficulties  which  at- 
tend it."  Mrs.  Dyer  said, "  No  wonder  he  was  not  wil- 
ling to  let  her  go,  she  was  calculated  for  his  spiritual 
companion."  The  Attorney-General  spoke  and  said, 
♦'  what  is  this  you  say  ?"  Mrs.  Dyer  observed  ;  "  every 
leading  man  in  the  Society  hath  a  spiritual  companion." 
He  said,  "  I  ever  considered  them  a  deluded,  but  inno- 
cent people."  The  Governor  then  said, "  there  are  no 
greater  villains  (in  my  opinion)  on  earth,  than  these 
head  Shakers."  He  said  his  feelings  were  such,  that 
he  talked  with  Governor  Woodbury  on  the  subject,  and 
also  said  "  there  ought  to  be  a  law  of  protection."  He 
also  requested  me  to  give  Mrs.  Dyer  this  statement. 

MARY  HAWES. 

I  learnt  that  Governor  Eustis  v^as  a  regular  bred 
physician,  and  Governor  Brooks*  also,  whom  1  cal- 

*  H«  purchased  a  boek,  as  did  the  odicr. 


80 

kd  to  see,  with  one  of  his  acquaintance.  These 
two  men  fef'l  tor  the  liherLy  of  iheir  countrymen, 
women,  and  children.  My  time  wa^  every  where 
spent  more  agreeably  than  I  expected.  In  Cam- 
bridge, a  merchrint  lady  (Mrs.  Fanewell)  uinde  me 
a  present  of  a  mourning  Bonnet;  in  Lynn,  Capt. 
Bachelder's  wile,  a  pair  of  mouining  Beaver  Gloves  ; 
at  Boston,  Mrs.  Sutherhn  took  a  ring  from  her  fin- 
ger, placed  it  on  mine,  said  that  was  friendship.  Bos- 
ton was  the  last  place  of  my  selling  books:  1  had 
but  a  few  with  me.  I  went  in  town  Ssiiuraay,  left 
Tuesday  for  Cfoncord,  N.  H.  When  1  went  to  Bol- 
ton, I  stayed  a  few  days  in  Boston — left  some  books 
at  the  Book-stores.  Now  and  then,  I  found  ac- 
quaintance, with  a  number  of  very  respectable  peo- 
ple— Mrs.  Willis  and  family,  Dr.  Baldwin  and  fami- 
ly, where  I  visited.  Elder  Lindsey^  Elder  Hedden, 
and  wives,  whi  re  I  had  an  invitation  to  visit,  which 
would  have  been  very  pleasant,  but  I  was  otherwise 
engaged  ;  I  had  a  pleasant  visit  at  Mrs.  Boidens. 
1  was  made  acquainted  with  Dr.  JaFvis,  and  a  num- 
ber of  ladies  of  respectability.  Instead  of  finding 
people  with  a  haughty  aspect,  they  were  every  way 
pleasant,  humane,  and  of  tender  feelings.  I  was  de- 
lighted with  their  affability;  I  often  thought,  this  is 
the  perfection  of  good  manners.  I  was  sure,  though 
I  was  country  born,  I  should  be  happy  in  such  so- 
ciety as  this.  Those  who  are  independent  in  Bos- 
ton, are  not  seeking  to  attain  some  popular  standing 
or  dignity,  like  some  w.io  have  not  attained — afraid 
to  speak  or  stir,  lest  they  shall  lose  some  of  their 
preferment.  Those  have  already  attained,  and.it 
appears  to  be  their  delight  to  treat  people  with  po» 
liteness. 

When  1  found  the  time  of  my  daughter's  death, 
I  thought  by  the  condition  1  was  brought  to  at  that 


81 

lime,  i  had  sympathy  with  her  in  her  distress.  Some 
may  think  strange  at  this  remark;  but  the  Apostle 
Paul  said,  "  though  absent  in  body,  yet  present  in 
spirit."  1  relate  as  follows : — from  some  time  in 
December  I  was  much  worried  about  her ;  if  I  had 
any  retirement,  she  was  present  in  my  mind  more 
than  any  of  the  family  ever  was.  This  I  often  men- 
tioned to  the  friends  wherever  I  kept.  The  week 
she  died  my  rest  left  me  ;  1  felt  unfit  to  see  compa- 
ny :  but  I  was  now  at  Lynn  with  my  old  acquaint- 
ance, and  for  many  days  we'  met  for  religious  visits. 
The  day  of  her  death,  many  were  invited  to  Sylva- 
nus  Newel's ;  my  feelings  were  such  1  thought  I 
could  not  attend,  yet  there  appeared  no  proper  ex- 
cuse. I  went,  and  at  dusk  1  went  out — was  distres- 
sed in  my  feelings  about  my  tamiiy.  There  were 
as  many  as  thirty  people  in  the  room  when  I  came 
in ;  I  began  to  speak  my  feelings.  1  was  affected 
with  a  tremor,  so  that  I  felt  almost  helpless,  (as  I  did 
afterwards,  when  I  heard  of  her  death.)  1  kneeled, 
prayed  for  myself,  for  those  present,  for  my  family, 
and 'for  my  poor  daug;hter:  and  I  recollect  uttering 
these  words  :  "  O  Father,  thou  knowest  our  condi- 
tion, and  that  I  cannot  be  with  her  nor  help  her; 
but  thou,  O  God,  art  every  where  present  :  wilt 
thou  have  mercy,  and  reach  thy  hand  down  and 
take  her."  (ihe  hand  of  his  powor.)  I  was  so  dis- 
tressed it  was  manifest  foall  in  thf  room,  and  I  thirik 
the}'  had  sympathy  with  me.  This  was  about  six 
o'clock,  which  I  afterwirds  learnt  was  her  dying 
hour.  Had  I  been  with  her  I  could  not  have  felt 
more  ;  but  I  should  have  had  an  opportunity  of  tel- 
ling them  the  cause  of  her  death  ;  which,  if  it  was 
my  Isst  ^nd  dying  words,  I  believe  it  was  by  unfair 
means  pro'luced  by  those  leaders,  which  they  must 
know  ;    and  when  those  subjects  get  their  death 


82 

wound,  by  their  Mother's  fiery  gospel,  ihcy  will 
sometimes  send  out  for  a  physician  ;  and  when  they 
come,  it  is  dilficult  knowing  the  cause  of  their  com- 
plaint. The  reason  is,  they  cannot  imagine,  as 
things  arc.  It"  they  knew  your  gifts  for  the  fire  of 
your  Holy  Ghost,  and  gifts  for  Mother's  love,  then 
for  your  gospel  union  and  relation — if  they  under- 
stood this,  they  could  understand  that  those  youth 
could  not  exist,  with  Betty  Andrcss  Draper,  and 
True  Heath  in  the  Office.  They  are  so  immersed 
into  that  power  that  brought  death  into  the  world, 
that  their  very  spirit  preys  on  the  delicate  conslitu- 
tion,  by  being  constantly  with  them,  if  they  are  not 
guilty  of  such  wicked  acts.  I  should  think  reason 
would  teach  them,  that  such  a  fire  as  you  possess, 
is  that  which  is  unquenchable.  Won't  you  have 
mercy  on  yourselves,  nor  your  subjects  ?  No  !  not 
so  long  as  you  are  governed  by  your  desires.  If 
those  old  monsters  knew  half  of  their  subjects  Avould 

die  similar,  they  would  not  cease  in  their (1  don't 

know  what   to  call  it)  for  they  could  come  to  the 
world,  and  supply  their  stock,  as  they  say. 

There  are  many  among  them  who  live  years  in 
a  sort  of  dying  state,  like  a  dim  taper;  whose  con- 
stitutions have  been  previously  destroyed  by  their 
Mother's  Gospel.  And  those  selected  ones  will  no 
more  cease  in  this  wickedness,  than  fire  will  cease 
consuming  fuel,  unless  Omnipotence  should  interfere 
by  some  means  of  protection.  The  old  Shakers 
can  understand  what  1  mean,  but  1  do  not  know  as 
other  people  can.  1  leave  it  after  observing,  that 
to  doctor  one  of  those  sick,  and  they  continue  with 
the  Shakers,  is  like  throwing  water  on  a  person  who 
stands  scorching  by  a  fire;  if  you  would  stop  the 
disease,  3'ou  m.ust  take  them  from  the  Shakers,  or 
remove  tiie  first  cause. 


83 

After  I  heard  of  my  daughter's  death,  I  delayed 
my  journey.  I  went  to  Enfield  in  April,  where  I 
ifiquircd  ot  the  neighbors  about  Betsy.  They  said 
they  understood  she  grew  worse  soon  after  1  left 
town  in  the  fall ;  and  that  the  Shaker  women  said 
she  was  very  anxious  to  live,  and  for  four  weeks 
before  her  death,  they  did  not  expect  her  life  from 
one  day  to  another.  After  her  death,  my  husband 
came  into  the  neighborhood,  and  said,  some  of  the 
young  sisters  shod  tears  when  they  heard  she  was 
dead,  but  he  did  not,  they  had  not  travelled  so  far 
as  he  had.  It  seems  he  had  travelled  farther  than 
Jesus;  Vv^hen  he  was  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  he 
wept.  But  now  the  travel  is,  to  overcome  natural 
affections,  hardened  in  tyranny.  1  went  to  the  Sha- 
kers with  Elder  Chase  and  wife  ;  my  eldest  son  soon 
came  in,  he  spoke  of  Betsy's  reconciliation  to 
death — I  thought  of  what  I  heard  by  the  neighbors. 
I  asked  if  she  had  her  senses  when  she  died,  he 
said  she  had.  I  asked  if  he  saw  her  when  she  died, 
he  said,  "  Nay,  I  was  at  supper,  but  heard  by  the 
sisters."  1  asked  the  hour  of  her  death,  he  said, 
"  about  six  in  the  evening."  1  could  not  l^arn  that 
one  of  the  family  was  with  her.  Oh.  if  I  could  but 
have  rested  her  dying  head  !  !  but  no — I  desire  the 
spirit  of  Omnipotence  to  bear  my  spirit  up.  If  she 
was  so  happy,  why  was  not  the  family  with  her  ? 
The  nurses  of  course  must  tell  a  good  story,  to  con- 
tent the  rest  of  the  children  and  their  infatuated 
father. 

I  carried  each  of  my  sons  an  orange,  which  I 
suppose  was  the  first  my  three  youngest  ever  saw — 
I  offered  to  the  youngest  son  first,  he  reached  his 
hand  towards  it,  then  drew  it  back.  1  then  said, 
1  did  not  know  as  you  would  dare  take  it  for  fear 
of  being  pestered.     My  eldest  son   said,  "  Nay, 


B4 

we  are  not  so  afraid  of  being  pestered  as  you  ihinlc 
for,  take  it."  He  then  took  it.  As  1  before  observ- 
ed, my  eldest  son  is  a  sort  of  an  overseer,  or  waiter 
to  the  higher  deacons,  when  he  consented,  it  would 
do.     This  I  tell,  to  see  the  strictness  of  the  orders. 

The  Shakers  brought  forth  my  husband's  name 
in  public  to  vindicate  their  cause,  until  his  bitter- 
ness hath  been  a  disgrace  to  them.  Now  my  chil- 
dren's names  are  made  use  of.  My  youngest  child 
was  but  three  years  old,  the  next  five,  when  the 
Shakers  stole  them  from  me,  when  I  knew  nothing 
of  it,  nor  expected  it,  no  more  than  I  did  their 
death,  and  I  knew  not  where  they  were  for  weeks. 
Next  my  daughter  was  taktn  in  the  same  way.  Now 
they  are  duped  or  compelled  to  sign  a  writing 
against  me.  The  Shakers  had  rather  every  child 
of  mine  would  die  in  an  hour,  than  to  leave  this  de- 
ception— indeed,  they  would  be  glad  never  to  have 
one  leave  the  Society,  if  they  would  die  as  soon  as 
they  become  useless  or  unprofitable  ;  but  when 
they  don't,  they  sometimes  drive  them  off. 

My  second  son  boasts  of  his  stature.  Watts  meas- 
ures a  man  by  his  mind.  However,  my  children 
were  of  good  natural  abilities ;  but  their  talents 
will  be  metamorphosed  and  spoiled  if  they  stay  with 
Shakers.  Some  people  blame  me  for  ever  consent- 
ing to  go  to  the  Shakers  with  my  husband.  Ignor- 
ance was  my  w  eakness  ;  had  people  been  faithful 
in  circulating  knowledge,  the  Shakers  would  never 
have  got  me  there  alive  ;  for  this  cause  I  have  en- 
deavored to  be  faithful.  J  asked  Elder  Stone,  a 
baptist,  why  his  connections  had  not  published 
those  facts  about  Shakers,  that  people  might  know, 
as  they  were  well  acquainted  with  Shakerism,  and 
had  suffered  much  by  them  ?  He  said,  "  People 
were  afraid  to  publish,  the  Shakers'  enmity  was  so 


85 

violent."'  I  told  him  we  had  as  good  die  oiic  vray 
as  another;  and  I  could  not  rest  to  have  peopL^  ex- 
posed to  such  afflictions  and  not  make  it  known;  if 
they  killed  me,  I  could  not  die  but  once. 

The  following  is  a  short  sketch,  but  correct : — 1st, 
I  never  had  seen  a  Shaker,  to  my  knowledge,  until 
the  time  my  husband  joined  them.  2nd,  1  never 
consented  to  unite  witli  him  in  their  ceremonies,  un- 
til my  husband  said,  if  I  did  not  he  would  carry  my 
children  to  the  Shnkers,  but  if  I  would,  I  should 
have  the  care  of  them.  3d,  I  never  should  have 
consented  to  have  removed  in  with  them,  had  not 
my  husband  first  placed  some  of  the  children  there 
by  deception,  by  which  means  they  stole  the  rest. 
After  they  got  all  of  them,  I  was  brought  to  distrac- 
tion, at  times.  My  husband  then  said  I  should  go 
and  have  the  care  of  them.  I  went,  but  never  had 
the  care  of  them;  but  lived  in  hopes  nine  months. 
There  has  no  promise  been  fulfilled,  since  my  hus- 
band joined  the  Shakers,  for  my  safet}'-.  I  asked 
liim  what  he  had  done  with  his  promises;  he  said, 
"I  made  them  in  the  carnal  mind  ;  when  I  came  here 
the  gift  of  God  could  not  comply  with  it."  It  is  now 
my  sincere  desire,  that  he  might  see  the  Shakers' 
deception,  understand  their  obscenity,  and  save  his 
soul.  But  if  he  hath  an  understanding,  and  makes 
it  his  choice  to  worship  Lucy  Lyon,  1  am  perfectly 
willing  he  should  ;  only  I  do  not  like  for  him  to  de- 
stroy the  children  by  holding  them  there  ;  or  other- 
wise, he  must  be  parted  from  his  Lucy.  The  word 
is,  "  you  must  give  all  in  your  power,  or  be  reject- 
ed." It  would  be  a  mercy  to  any  man,  if  he  joins 
the  Shakers,  not  to  have  power  over  his  family  ; 
then  if  he  was  pleased  to  stay  or  leave,  his  children 
are  protected. 

H 


86 

In  the  Shaker  Book,  are  nine  pages  covered,  trV" 
ing  to  disprove  that  Ann  Lee  was  ever  at  Concord, 
N.  H.  The  same  testimonies  are  published  in  the 
N.  H.  Patriu**,  June  1823 ;  when  I  made  the  follow- 
ing reply  :— 

TO  THE  PUBLIC. 

By  the  advice  of  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Legislature,  and  a  request  from  the  inhabitants  of 
Concord,  and  to  do  justice  to  my  own  feehngh,  I 
publish  the  iollowing. — In  the  N.H.  Patriot  of  June 
30,  1823,  is  brought  to  view  statements  from  the 
Shaker  Society,  endeavoring  to  prove  that  Ann  Lee 
and  William  Lee  her  brother,  were  never  in  New- 
Hampshire.  It  appears  th.'  no  one  instance  haih 
been  such  an  absolute  witness  lo  the  people  cK*  Con- 
cord, that  the  Shakers  intetu'  (o  cover  truth  with 
error,  as  this  circumstance.  1  here  present  affida- 
vits, as  sppcimens,  from  as  respectable  people  for 
truth  and  veracity  as  any  in  tc'n.  There  are  more 
similar,  who  are  ready  to  attest  the  same.  You  will 
find  in  the  Shaker  Bible,  first  publication,  page  30, 
they  have  stated,  that  the  Shakers  werp,  after  tht-y 
came  to  America,  three  years  scntterod  fora  living; 
which,  if  they  settled  at  Waterviiet  in  1776.  as 
you  have  stated  in  this  Shaker  Book,  (called  a  re- 
view) she  must  have  come  to  Amciica  in  1773  ;  but 
according  to  the  statement  of  Fartium  and  others, 
they  were  in  Concord  in  1773  or  1774:  and  they 
further  say,  that  they  were  here  in  the  fall  of  the 
year.  And  one  of  those  who  have  asserted  in  the 
Patriot  or  Review,  says  she  did  not  come  from 
England  until  the  next  year  after  Ann ;  but  that 
is  of  no  consequence  whether  she  ever  saw  her  or 
not;  the  very  principle  of  the  Shakers,  is  to  testify 
favoring  their  Church  or  Gospel,  (as  they  call  it.) 


87 

Why  don't  the  Shakers  bring  some  other  witness 
besides  their  own  society,  to  prove  that  Ann  Lee 
was  in  New -York  the  time  after  she  came  over,  un- 
til she  went  to  Watervliet.  Mary  Partington  does 
not  say,  that  Ann  Lee  and  VVilham  Lee  were  not  in 
Concord,  N.  H.,  but  says — '•  It  looks  very  unlikely 
that  Mother  and  Elder  William,  should  ever  go  to 
New-Hampshire  at  any  time;  and  1  never  heard  of 
it  till  this  time."  She  says  she  was  with  ihe  Mother 
continually.  Why  does  she  not  tell  the  particulars, 
as  well  before  they  went  to  Watervleit  as  after- 
wards ?  They  must  be  someTvhere,  and  such  sort 
of  people  never  went  unnoticed.  1  think  this  vei*y 
woman  was  at  Concord  with  Ann  Lee. 

Let  people  read  the  following  statements  of  Far- 
num  and  others : 

We,  the  undersigners,  do  testify,  that  between  47  and 
49  years  ago,  a  number  of  people,  four  or  five  stran- 
gers, and  outlandish,  came  to  Concord,  New-Hampshire 
— made  tarry  of  a  number  of  months — the  names  of 
those  who  appeared  to  be  the  head  ones,  were  Ann  Lee 
and  William  Lee — their  singularity  caused  many  peo- 
ple to  call  and  see  them.  Ann  was  short,  thick  set — she 
wore  a  strap  cap,  and  a  large  fiat  straw  hat.  William 
Lee  was  stout  built,  of  a  sandy  complexion.  They  prov- 
ed themselves  a  people  of  the  most  vulgar  sort — they 
lived  near  us — we  often  saw  them — was  acquainted 
with  much  of  their  conduct.  They  pretended  in  telling 
fortunes — also,  where  stolen  or  lost  goods  were.  They 
used  ardent  spirits  to  excess — they  freq-uented  Samuel 
Farnum's  house,  a  near  neighbor,  and  at  times  stayed 
all  night — the  family  anited  with  them  in  drinking,  and 
the  report  from  the  lamily  was,  that  Ann  Lee  lodged 
with  Faraum,  aud  William  Lee  with  Farnum's  wife. 
Their  conduct  left  with  Farnum  and  wife  a  dirty  com- 
j)laint.  Froni  many  circumstances,  it  is  an  undeniable 
fact,  that  those   strangers  were   afflicted,  and  doctored 


88 

while  here,  for  the  v 1  disease.     Those  foreig-ners 

appeared  destitute  of  furniture — their  lodging  was  boards 
nailed  together  for  a  large  stead,  on  which  lay  straw, 
with  their  wearing  clothes,  this  was  said  to  be  the 
lodging  for  all  of  them.  They  practised  singing,  danc- 
ing, gambling  with  cards,  gaming  and  lounging  about. 
Ann  told  Samuel  Farnum  he  had  a  pot  of  money  hid  un- 
der earth,  if  he  would  give  her  and  William  each  a 
suit  of  good  clothes,  she  would  tell  where  the  money 
was.  Farnum  believed  it,  and  got  the  clothes  for 
them.  Ann  then  pretended  to  tell  where  the  money 
was — Farnum,  with  others,  went  to  digging  for  the 
money,  but  found  none.  Ann  found  the  inhabitants 
aroused  against  them — borrowed  some  outside  gar- 
ments, pretending  to  go  to  a  neighbor's — and  that  night 
fled.  They  were  followed  towards  the  State  of  New- 
York,  in  hopes  of  recompense,  but  got  none. 

STEPHEN  FARNUM. 
I,  Marther  Farnum,  wife  to  the  above,  testify,  that 
the  above  named  persons  were  here,  and  that  the  fore- 
going is  a  true  statement  of  their  character. 

MARTHER  FARNUM. 
Also, 
HENRY  MARTIN.  JOSEPH  FARNUM, 

ESTHER  MARTIN,  RUTH  FARNUM. 

'^'"pi'T."?»?;^r^'''"'''  I  Concord,  Dec.  10, 1821. 

Rockingham,  ss.       5 

Attested  before  me,  ISAAC  DOW,  Jus.  Peace. 

I  hereby  certify,  ibat  the  above  named  persons  are  people  of  respec- 
tability and  truth.  ISAAC  DOW. 

1,  Samuel  Farrington^  of  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  do  state, 
that  I  was  formerly  a  resident  of  Concord,  N.  H. ;  when 
a  young  man  I  s.tw  in  that  place  a  number  of  people 
who  were  outlandish.  They  came  there  in  1774,  in 
the  early  part  of  the  fall.  I  lived  in  the  street  when 
they  came  to  our  house  to  tell  fortunes — there  were 
two  men  and  two  women,  who  proved  to  be  dissolute 
characters.  The  conductors  were  Ann  and  Wm.  Lee, 
who  she  said  was  her  brother.  They  w(  »t  to  West- 
Parish,  in  Concord,  where  they  made  a  tarry  of  some 


89 

months.  Soon  after  they  were  established  there,  Ann 
left  town,  when  it  was  said  she  went  to  the  sea  ports. 
She  returned  the  same  fall,  walking  with  a  pack  on  her 
back.  It  was  a  day  of  general  muster  when  she  came 
in  this  manner  to  town — the  report  was,  that  she  had 
been  among  sailoi-a — her  appearance  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  people — When  the  men  gathered  around 
her,  she  was  very  talkative  and  flippant  Among  them. 
She  was  a  stout  thick  set  woman.  (We  were  often 
called  together  for  trainings,  expecting  a  war  with  the 
British,  who  were  frequently  sending  in  ships  loaded 
with  soldiers  and  war  accoutrements — we  were  under 
the  command  of  Col.  Walker.)  After  the  return  of 
Ann,  the  attention  of  the  people  was  drawn  to  the 
West-Parish,  to  those  strangers.  The  report  was,  they 
practised  singing,  fiddling,  dancing  and  whirling,  telling 
fortunes,  playing  cards,  drunkenness,  with  other  conduct 
too  bad  to  write.  Ann  professed  to  have  knowledge 
of  past,  present  and  future  events.  She  seemed  to  en- 
chant some  of  the  people.  A  number  of  people  suffer- 
ed loss  by  her.  But  the  more  particular  wore,  Samuel 
Farnum,  Zephaniah  Pattee,  and  Pompey,  a  black  man, 
belonging  to  Esq.  Bradley,  of  Concord  ;  said  Bradley 
was  a  relation  and  neighbor  of  mine.  She  made  Far- 
num and  Pattee  believe  they-  had  hid  treasures,  which 
she  could  assist  them  to  find,  if  they  would  first  supply 
her  request,  and  without  she  could  not.  By  this  in- 
trigue, she  caused  those  men  such  expense,  as  to  com- 
pel them  both  to  sell  their  farms  in  consequence  of 
poverty.  They  searched  for  hid  treasures,  but  found 
none.  Pompey  had  three  hundred  dollars  loaned  to 
Mr.  Dimond,  which  he  called  in,  and  gave  to  her,  when 
in  return  she  gave  him  such  a  complaint  that  he  rotted 
aUve,  as  his  master  told  me.  It  was  said,  she  brought 
this  from  the  sailors,  when  she  returned  from  the  ship- 
pingi,  for  which  she  was  doctored  in  Concord,  Their 
conduct  was  such,  the  inhabitants  were  enraged  against 
them.  Those  took  borrowed  garments  and  other  things, 
and  absconded  at  night — this  was  in  March.  Pattee  was 
H2 


90 

dissatisfied,  and  followed  them,  as  he  said,  to  North 
river,  where  it  crossed  at  Albany,  New-York,  in  hopes 
of  recompense,  but  got  none.  I  afterwards  made  inqui> 
ry  about  those  foreigners,  when  I  heard  they  settled  a 
few  miles  from  Albany.     Further  saith  not. 

SAMUEL  FARRINGTON. 

Merrimack,  ss.  Hopkmton,  •^'ug.  %  1824. 

Solemnlv  attested  htiots  me, 

NATHANIEL  KNOWLTON,  Jus.  Peace. 

I,  Miriam  Farrington.  wife  of  the  above  named  Sam- 
uel FarringtoQ,  do  state,  that  the  above  written  testi- 
mony is  true.  MiRIAM  FARRINGTON. 

The  above  named  Samuel  Farrington,  and  his  wife 
Miriam,  are  worthy  members  of  the  Congregational 
church,  in  Uopkinton,  N.  H. 

Compare  those  characters  with  Ann  and  her  dis- 
ciples, after  they  preached  Shakerism.  See  the 
4estim©nies  in  the  preceding  pages. 

Let  others  trust  what  names  they  please, 

Their  Saints  and  Angels  boast, 
I  have  no  such  advocates  as  these, 

Nor  pray  to  the  heavenly  hosts. 

Jesus  alone,  shall  bear  my  cries, 

Up  to  his  Father's  throne, 
He,  dearest  Lord,  perfumes  my  sighs 

▲lid  sweetens  every  groan. 

MARY  M.  DYER. 

Truth  bruises  the  head  of  the  Serpent  when  appli- 
ed i  he  cannot  devour,  though  he  bruises  the  heel. 


The  following  statements  are  published  in  conse- 
quence of  a  Shaker  book,  published,  (called  Dyer's 
Narrative)  which  the  Shakers  drew  up,  and  caused 
my  husband  to  sign  his  name  to,  in  a  gift.  He  has 
since  owned  to  me  that  he  did  not  write  it,  neither 
did  he  consider  it  truth,  and  asked  me  to  forgive  him 
in  what  he  had  done. 


91 

We,  the  undersigned,  testify  and  say,  that  we  were 
neighbors  to  Joseph  and  Mary  Dyer,  during  their  resi- 
dence in  Stewarlstown,  N.  H.  They  were  two  of  the 
first  five  persons,  baptized  in  the  reformation  in  1809  ; 
were  united  with  us  in  Christian  fellowship,  under  the 
administration  of  Elder  Benjamin  Putnam,  a  worthy 
brother  and  faithful  laborer  while  with  us,  which  was  but 
a  short  time.  Joseph  and  Mary  walked  worthy  of  the 
vocation,  wherewith  they  were  called,  and  in  real  har- 
mony together,  until  the  circumstance  of  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  Shaker  doctrine,  which  was  as  follows: — 

We  consider  Mr.  Dyer  the  first  cause  of  the  Shakers* 
doctrine  being  introduced  in  this  place.  For  years,  he 
was  anxious  to  have  the  professors  put  their  property  in 
one  joint  interest  After  Mr.  Crooker  (a  minister)came 
here,  he  united  with  Mr.  Dyer  in  this  scheme.  At  a 
time  we  furnished  him  with  proper  means  to  move  his 
family  here,  he  went  to  the  Shakers  in  Lebanon,  N.  Y. 
(as  he  afterwards  stated)  made  enquiry  how  to  lay  a  found- 
ation for  a  church  in  this  way.  When  the  Shakii's  in- 
duced him  to  believe  they  were  right  in  every  sense. 
Instead  of  fetching  his  family,  he  bought  some  Shaker 
books  and  a  writing  from  them,  encouraging  others  to 
go  to  them  ;  said  he  had  joined  them,  and  that  they  had 
got  a  church  established  in  gospel  order,  therefore  it 
would  be  unnecessary  to  attempt  to  establish  again.  We 
were  much  disappointed  and  could  not  fellowship  his 
doctrine — we  had  highly  esteemed  him.  He  had  been 
but  a  short  time  in  the  place,  and  came  as  a  stranger, 
but  was  much  favored  as  a  preacher.  He  baptised  up- 
wards of  thirty  persons  while  here  ;  and  the  only  of- 
fence he  gave  while  among  us,  was  his  joining  the  Shak- 
ers. This  brought  a  grief  on  us  which  was  enlarged  by 
the  said  Dyer's  uniting  with  him  in  those  principles.. 
Shortly  after,  Mr.  Crooker  left  the  place,  and  since  has 
not  returned.  After  a  few  months  we  received  a  letter 
from  him  in  New- York,  stating,  that  he  had  lived  with 
the  Shakers  until  he  found  them  deceivers,  and  that  he 
found  himself  in  Babylon's  darkness^  and  under  the  bond- 


92 

age  of  Egypt.  Antl  that  the  Lord  bad  again  delivered 
him,  for  which  he  was  thankful ;  then  desired  us  to  over- 
look his  misstep  in  going  to  the  Shakers ;  also,  that  he 
was  again  living  with  his  family. — We  have  seen  Dyer's 
Narrative,  which  appears  to  he  written  with  an  intent 
to  injure  the  innocent.  We  consider  it  without  founda- 
tion. From  a  constant  acquaintance  with  the  family,  we 
know  much  of  it  is  false,  and  believe  it  all  libellous.  We 
never  heard  the  leasi  intimation  of  any  kind  against 
Mrs.  Dyer's  character,  while  she  lived  in  this  country. 
She  WaS  from"  a  respectable  family  ;  we  ever  considered 
her  a  virtuous  neighbor,  faithful  wife,  and  tender  moth- 
er. She  never  journeyed  with  any  minister,  only  her 
own  husband.  Mr.  Dyer  ever  appeared  to  respect  her, 
and  after  he  became  Religious  it  was  considered,  that 
they  lived  in  as  great  union  nnd  harmony  as  ever  per- 
sons did,  until  he  joined  the  Shakers,  which  we  think, 
caused  her  great  trouble.  We  have,  since  Mr.  Dyer 
moved  his  family  to  the  Shakers,  heard  him  say  ''Mary 
was  very  pious."  We  consider  her  worthy  to  be  com- 
mended into  any  family  or  christian  society.  Elder 
Putnam  is  a  man  with  whom  we  have  had  some  ac- 
quaintance and  information;  his  character  is  irreproach- 
able. 

John  James,  Elizabeth  James,  Rebekah  Morrison, 
Rebekah  Dennet,  Hannah  Weeks,  Abagail  Weeks,  Ma- 
ry Morril. 

Canaan,  Essex,  ss.  May  Sth,  1819 

Sworn  before  me,  Moses  Morril,  Justice  Peace.  I  the 
subscriber,  do  testify  that  the  above  declaration  is  true. 

MOSES  MORKIL. 

I  Nathan  Frizzle  of  Knnover,  testify  and  say,  that  I 
have  been  acquainted  with  Joseph  Dyer  and  his  wife,  as 
fieighbors  and  christians.  I  was  acquainted  with  Mrs. 
Dyer  from  her  youth ;  and  that  1  never  knew,  or  heard, 
of  the  least  blemish  in  her  character.  For  several 
years,  I  lived  a  near  neighbor  to  her  family  in  Stewarts- 
town — was  a  religious  professor  with  them — saw  them 
baptized  August  1809,  and  in  all,  never  knew  or  heard 


93 

■  of  the  least  complaint  on  either  side,  but  love  and  union 
to  God  and  each  other,  until  June  1811,  when  the  Sha- 
ker doctrines  entered  the  place  :  soon  after  that,  Mr. 
Dyer's  family  was  secluded  among  the  Shakers.  Yet  I 
have  often  since  seen  Mr.  Dy«r,  as  he  was  in  the  coun- 
try on  business ;  he  always  gave  a  good  report  of  his 
wife,  said  "she  was  a  pious  faithful  woman,  and  much 
favored  of  God."  She  ever  had  more  candor,  than  was 
natural  to  him ;  lack  of  which  1  think,  has  caused  her 
great  grief,  since  the  difficulty  arose  between  them  on 
the  account  of  the  Shakers.  1  have  talked  with  Mr. 
Dyer  about  certain  accusations  in  Dyer's  Narrative,  he 
gave  me  to  understand  that  he  did  not  consider  either  of 
those  persons  guilty  of  a  crime,  but  "  Mary  had  accus- 
ed the  Charch  of  God,  and  that  must  be  defended." 
And  I  certaiiily  know  that  Mr.  Dyer  bad,  or  appeared 
to  have  great  fellowship  with  each  of  those  persons, 
when  they  left  the  country  at  last.  And  as  for  Mrs.  Dy- 
er's ever  journeying  with  a  minister,  or  to  preach,  it  is 
certainly  a  mistake,  unless  with  her  own  husband,  who 
used  at  times  to  preach,  and  she  did  sometimes  journey 
with  him  to  their  friends.  I  am  some  acquainted  with 
the  Shaken,  and  do  believe  Mr.  Dyer  has  crossed  his 
own  mind,  in  defending  their  cause. 

NATHAN  FRIZZLE. 

Grafton^  ss.  Hanover. 

March  1 8th,  1819.  Attested  before  me,  SILAS  TEN- 
NEY,  Justice  Peace. 

Mr.  Frizzle  is  now  an  Elder  of  the  Baptist  order  in 
Hanover,  N.  H. 

Several  gentlemen  in  the  upper  towns  of  Vermont, 
hearing  that  I  was  soon  to  appear  before  the  General 
Court,  from  their  charitable  hearts,  unknown  to  me,  sent 
the  following. 

Essex,  ss.  May  8th,  1818. 

We  the  undersigned,  have  for  a  number  of  years  been 
well  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Dyer,  wife  of  Joseph 
Dyer,  and  believe  her  reputation  lor  truth  and  veracity 
is  irreproachable,  and  her  character  iu  every  respec^j 


94 

lair  and  unspotted.  We  therefore  with  pleasure  re- 
commend her  to  that  support,  countenance  and  encour- 
agement, which  a  virtuous  and  unfortunate  woman  mer- 
its, from  a  just,  humane  and  enlightened  commDnity. 

O.  Ingham,  Chief  Judge.     M.  Rich,  side  Judge. 

S.  Gates,  side  Judge.  J.  Cushman,  Judge  Prob. 

Z.  Perkins,  Jus.  Peace.        J.  Berry,  State's  Attorney. 

W.Gates, Clerk  C.  Court.     R.  Culler,  Justice  Peace. 

S.  Cushman,  Esq.  John  Dean,  High  Sherifl". 

This  may  certify,  that  we  the  undei^igned  are  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  Mrs.  Mary  Dyer;  she  has 
lived  in  our  family,  in  Concord,  and  at  Mr.  Hazen  Kim- 
ball's, a  door  neighbor,  for  a  considerable  space  of  time, 
and  we  have  seen  nothing  in  her  deportment,  but  what 
is  agreeable  to  a  profession  of  piety.  We  further  state, 
that  we  have  seen  her  in  the  most  aggravating  afiliction 
and  persecution,  all  of  which  she  bore  with  patience 
and  fortitude  to  our  astonishment,  which  must  be  by  the 
assistance  of  grace  only.        BENJAMIN  KIMBALL, 

ABIGAIL  KIMBALL, 
Sept.  6,  1822.  ELIZA  R.  KIMBALL, 

MARY  B.  KIMBALL, 
CLARISSA  KIMBALL. 


Letler  to  tht  Ministers  of  the  Untied  Society*  common- 
ly called  Shakers. 
BY  R.  1.  CLARK. 

In  January,  1818,  I  called  to  see  your  Society  in 
Canterbury,  N.  H.  and  had  some  conversation  with 
your  Elders,  upon  religious  subjects.  As  thoy  then 
revealed  their  sentiments  and  doctrines,  I  fell  m  with 
them.  On  my  return  home  to  Wearc,  the  place  of 
my  residence  at  that  time,  1  conversed  with  my  wife 
about  joining  the  Shakers.  She  h^rd  some  I'ears  about 
moving  to  your  village,  because,  if  reports  were 
true,  the  time  would  come,  when  we  should  not  be- 
lieve in  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  but  should  be  induc- 
ed to  believe  in  your  Bible,  which  you  had  written 
among  yourselves,  and  which  condemned  the  scrip- 
tures as  being  inferior  to  your  testimony  ;  and  that 
we  should  hate  each  other,  and  become  bitter  ene- 
mies. On  seeing  some  of  your  Elders,  they  assur- 
ed me,  that  such  reports  were   false,  and  that  such 

•  United  Socifty — UnitPd  in  what?  United  in  a  belief,  that  Jesus  is 
not  a  sufficient  Savior;  united  in  deceiving  the  world  to  gain  proselytes 
to  the  faith  in  Ann  Lee  ;  united  in  condemning  the  true  Church  of 
Christ,  which  Christ  had  chosen  out  of  the  world;  and  said,  that  they 
were  no  more  of  the  world  than  he  was  of  the  world,  and  said,  that 
they  were  tfie  Light  of  the  world,  as  being  inferior  to  themselves — 
their  language  is,  Stand  off.  for  I  am  more  holy  than  thou.  United  in 
setting  husbands  and  wives  against  each  other,  so  as  to  cause  them  not 
to  love  each  other,  nor  provide  for  each  other,  neither  in  sickness  nor 
health.  United  in  going  forth  in  the  dance,  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
precepts  and  examples  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  obedience  to  the  Ministry. 
United  in  reproaching  all  that  do  leave  their  Society  ;  united  in  saying, 
that  Ann  Lee  is  the  Lord  our  Righteousness,  as  much  as  the  followers 
of  the  Pope  of  Rome  in  styling  him  their  Lord  Gi  d  the  Pope,  whose 
friars  the  people  were  to  confess  heir  sins  to.  Tnerefore,  let  the  peo- 
ple behold  them  as  a  united  company,  wVo  are  without  natural  affec- 
tions, and  covenant  breakers,  except  of  the  law  revealed  through  Ann, 
which  is  contrary  to  eyery  manifestation  of  the  dealings  of  God  with 
man ;  is  calculated  to  break  up  families  that  live  in  love  and  peace,  and 
make  them  bitter  enemies.  This  is  done  in  deception,  in  a  gift  from 
"  the  lead." 


96 

fears  were  entirely  groundless.  Christ  come,  said 
they,  not  to  destroy  the  law,  but  to  fulfil  it ;  and  that 
lov€  was  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  No  person  could 
be  a  true  chnstiaa,  who  was  not  desirous  of  perform- 
ing all  his  duties  to  his  Creator  and  his  fellow  men* 
We  render  to  all,  their  dues  ;  custom  to  whom  cus- 
tom, fear  to  whom  fear,  and  honor  to  whom  honor 
is  due;  and  he  that  provided  not  for  his  own  house- 
hold or  family,  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than 
an  infidel.  If  we  joined  their  Society,  all  our  civil 
and  religious  obligations  would  be  still  in  force  ;  and 
as  we  had  promised  in  our  marriage  covenant,  to 
provide  for,  and  take  care  of  each  other,  until  sep-  ' 
arated  by  death,  agreeably  to  the  civil  law,  we  were 
bound  to  perform  our  contract,  as  much  as  any  du- 
ty whatever. 

My  wife  and  myself,  confiding  in  these  statements, 
made  up  our  minds  to  join  your  society;  upon  the 
express  agreement,  however,  between  ourselves,  that 
we  were  to  be  as  kind  and  attentive  to  each  other  as 
■we  had  ever  been.  Accordingly,  we  moved  to  Lou- 
don, to  a  place  near  your  village,  and,  as  we  were 
treated  kindly  by  your  society,  we  afterwards,  at 
our  own  request,  took  up  our  residence  in  your  vil- 
lage. There  were  some  sentiments  in  your  testimo- 
ny or  bible  which  appeared  to  me  at  that  time,  to  be 
inconsistent  with  the  scriptures  of  truth;  but  the  El- 
ders assured  me,  that  such  had  btm  the  opinion  of 
others  among  them,  who  were  rrozw  firm  believers  ; 
and  that  they  would  soon  appear  plain  and  clear  to 
my  comprehension. 

I  read  the  remonstrance  of  the  Society^  addres- 
sed to  tile  Legislature  and  published  in  1818,  and 
found  you  there  said,  (page  38)  "  We  believe  the 
Holy  Scriptures  to  be  a  record  of  divine  truth  ;  we 
appeal  to  no  other  religious  creed  for  the  propriety 


97 

either  of  our  faith  or  practice.  We  believe  m  one 
true  God,  who  is  a  spirit,  the  fountain  of  all  good. 
"We  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  only  Savior  of 
mankind.  We  teach  no  other  doctrine  than  what 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  Apostles  taught,  nor  obey 
any  other  than  what  is  comprised  in  their  words — 
therefore  we  obey  them  diat  are  over  us  in  the 
Lord  ;  doing  service  unto  God,  and  not  unto  man." 
On  the  84th  page,  your  Deacons  say  ;  "•  Wherefore 
we  do  not  pretend  to  dissolve  or  disannul  any  thing 
that  either  the  law  or  gospel  requires  in  this  respect, 
notwithstanding  the  statement  of  Mary  Dyer  and 
others  to  the  contrary  ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  we 
counsel  those  that  come  in  amongst  us,  to  fulfil  all 
that  the  law  requires  of  them  ;  as  well  in  regard  to 
the  marriage  con-ract  as  any  thing  else."  This  I 
expected  to  fini  true,  because  you  had  published  it 
as  such  to  the  world. 

It  was  in  July  1 822,  that  I  moved  into  one  of  your 
families,  with  my  wife  and  children,  to  live  on  trial : 
not  binding  myself  or  family,  or  giving  up  my  prop- 
erty, only  the  use  of  it  until  I  called  for  it.  Soon 
after  this,  you  published  a  book,  entitled  "  A  sum- 
mary View  of  the  Millennial  Church,"  wjiich  con- 
tained doctrines  very  different  from  those  in  the 
above  extracts,  and  the  practice  of  the  Society  and 
what  we  are  taught  in  it,  varied  materially  from 
what  you  addressed  to  the  Legislature. 

In  this  "  Summary  View,"  page  9,  concerning  the 
wonderful  revelations  to  Ann  Lee,  it  is  stated,  they 
saw  at  once  that  the  candle  oi  the  Lord  was  in  her 
hand,  and  that  she  was  able  by  the  light  thereof,  to 
search  every  heart  and  try  every  soul  among  them. 
From  this  time,  she  was  received  as  the  first  visible 
leader  of  the  Church  of  God  upon  earth." — This 
looks  more  like  blasphemy  than  it  does  like  teach- 
I 


98 

ing  no  other  doctrine  than  that  which  Christ  and  the 
Apostles  taught. — Christ  said  he  was  the  first  and 
the  last,  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the 
end — leaving  no  place  for  Ann  to  be  either  ihe  Jirst 
or  the  last. 

Your  Society  sing  anthems  and  hymns,  as  much 
in  praise  of  Ann,  as  the  Son  of  God !  esteeming  the 
Bible  and  those  whom  God  inspired  to  write  it,  infe- 
rior to  the  doctrines  and  children  of  Ann !  The 
Elders  do  not  appeal  to  the  Scriptvires  for  the  rule 
of  their  faith  and  practice,  so  much  as  they  do  to 
the  sayings  of  Ann  and  her  first  Elders. 

In  the  Scriptures,  we  have  no  account  of  such  a 
March  as  you  have  instituted ;  when  the  singers 
stand  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  the  elder  broth- 
er and  sister  lead  the  dance  followed  by  the  men 
and  women  in  pairs.  In  these  marches,  and  in 
your  separate  union  meetings  it  was  so  managed, 
that  I  was  not  permitted  to  walk  or  meet  with  my 
wife  but  once  for  more  than  a  year  before  1  left 
your  Society.  My  wife  met  in  the  same  room  with 
me  in  the  union  meetings,  until  the  Deacon  came  to 
me  with  a  gift,  and  said  I  had  a  greater  privilege 
than  he  had  when  he  sat  out;  for  he  had  then  to 
walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight,  but  now  we  had  the 
old  believers  for  an  example;  and  in  the  dajs  of 
Christ's  first  appearing,  the  Apostles  taught  saving, 
be  ye  followers  of  us,  as  we  are  followers  of  Christ. 
Again,  as  you  have  us  for  an  example,  and  it  is  the 
gift  in  this  day  of  Christ's  second  appearing,  young 
believers  ought  to  pattern  after  the  old  believers, 
and  take  them  for  an  example.  And  he  added, 
when  he  moved  into  one  of  the  large  fantulies,  he 
did  not  speak  to  his  wife  for  two  years,  nor  she  to 
him — to  prove  his  hatred  to  his  wife,  and  that  he 
had  forsaken  her.     Soon  after  this,  my  wife  left  the 


99 

union  meeting  which  1  attended.  I  asked  her  to 
return  ;  for  1  believed  the  law  was  a  shadow  of  good 
things  to  come  ;  and  it  never  ahadowed  forth  that  a 
man  should  be  more  in  company  with  another  man's 
wife  than  his  own.  I  only  asked  the  same  privilege 
that  the  Ministers  or  Elders  enjoyed  in  the  society 
of  their  spiritual  males ;  but  this  was  denied  me. 
Mj'  wife  informed  me  that  she  did  as  she  was  taught, 
and  must  obey  her  leaders.  On  consulting  your 
Elders,  they  said,  we  do  not  come  together  to  build 
yp  this  relation,  but  to  destroy  it.  It  was  merely 
flesh  that  induced  a  man  to  prefer  his  wife  to  any 
body  else  ;  and  this  affection  must  be  done  away, 
or  we  could  not  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven.  I  asked  them  if  the  Apostles  were  minis- 
ters of  satan,  and  taught  this  doctrine  of  the  flesh 
which  precluded  their  followers  from  entering  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven.  Peter  writes  to  the  believers, 
(Chap.  2.  Book  1.)  and  calls  them  a  chosen  genera- 
tion, a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  pjeculiar 
people.  And  in  the  third  Chapter,  he  gives  the  duty 
of  husbands  and  wives  of  this  holy  people,  which, 
so  far  from  countenancing  hatred  or  neglect  between 
them,  urges  them  to  be  heirs  together  of  the  grac.e 
of  life,  that  their  prayers  be  not  hindered.  This 
does  not  look  like  encouraging  meetings  where  the 
husband  and  wife  must  be  separated;  or  your  HO- 
LY MARCH  where  they  are  not  permitted  to  travel 
on  together! 

Again  :  St.  Paul  in  his  2d  chapter  to  Titus,  says, 
"  But  speak  thou  the  things  that  become  sound  doc- 
trine, that  the  aged  men  be  sober,  temperate,  sound 
in  faith,  in  charity,  in  patience  ?  the  aged  women 
likewise  that  they  be  in  bchavio?  as  bcconieth  holi- 
ness, not  false  accusers,  not  given  to  much  wine, 
teachers  of  good  things ;  that  they  may  teach  the 


100 

young  women  to  be  sober,  to  love  their  husbands,  to 
love  their  children  ;  to  be  discreet,  chaste,  keepers 
at  home,  good,  obedient  to  their  own  hmbands,  that 
the  word  of  God  be  not  blasphemed."  Do  you 
teach  this  sound  doctrine  ?  If  you  do,  I  never  heard 
it  after  I  went  in  amongst  you  to  live.  If  this  be 
sonpd,  yours  must  be  unsound. 

But  to  return — In  your  remonstrance  to  the  Le- 
gislature, you  say  that  you  teach  no  other  ddctrine 
than  what  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Apostles  taught ;  and 
in  your  "  Summary  View"  published  in  1823,  page 
219,  you  say,  "Hence  the  image  and  likeness  of 
the  Eternal  Mother  was  formed  in  her,  (Ann  Lee) 
as  the  first  born  Daughter,  as  really  as  the  image 
and  likeness  of  the  Eternal  Father  was  formed  in 
the  Lord  Jesus,  the  first  born  son.  Thus  was  she 
constituted  the  second  heir  in  the  covenant  of  prom- 
ise, and  was  placed  in  a  correspondent  connexion 
with  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  second  pillar  of  the  Church 
of  God  in  the  new  creation  !"  Is  not  this  leaching 
another  doctrine  7  The  doctrine  of  the  Bible  is,  that 
it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  his  Son  all  fulness 
should  dwell,  and  that  salvation  was  complete  in 
him,  and  in  no  other,  not  even  in  Ann  Lee. 

Your  Society  are  verily  guilty  of  prevarication 
and  falsehood,  in  telling  me  you  counselled  those 
that  come  in  among  you  to  fulfil  the  marriage  cove- 
nant as  much  as  any  thing  else;  and  after  1  moved 
into  one  of  your  families,  to  teach  another  doctrine, 
and  practice  upon  other  principles:  and  now  to  re- 
fuse to  pay  me  any  thing  for  the  labor  of  my  wife, 
to  assist  in  supporting  my  children  whom  I  could 
not  in  conscience  leave  with  you,  to  be  brought  up 
to  believe  Ann  Lee  to  be  the  WIFE  of  the  SON  OF 
GOD!  and  to  be  taught  to  hate  their  father,  who 
has  watched  over  their  infantile  years,  with  that  sd- 


101 

licilutle,  anxiety  and  tenderness,  which  none  but  a 
parent  can  fully  comprehend  ;  and  you  uiierly  re- 
fuse to  give  me  any  obligation  for  her  maintenance, 
if  she  should  live  to  be  old  and  infirm.  If  bhe 
should  ever  become  like  Jonathan  Durgin  and  be 
unable  to  labor,  you  would  probably  throw  her  up- 
on the  town,  (as  you  have  him)  or  me,  for  support. 

I  do  not  blame  my  wife  for  remaining  with  you. 
She  has  become  a  believer  in  your  doctrines  and 
follows  your  counsel,  but  I  appeal  to  you.  You  say, 
page  58,  "  The  visible  head  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
on  earth,  is  vested  in  a  Ministry,  consisting  of  male 
Xind  female,  not  less  than  three,  and  generally  four 
in  number,  two  of  each  sex  !"  The  first  in  ihe  min- 
istry stands  as  leading  Elder  of  the  Society.  And 
on  the  69th  page  you  say,  "  as  faithful  ambassadors 
of  Christ,  they  are  invested  with  wisdom  and  autho- 
rity, by  the  revelation  of  God,  to  guide,  leach  and 
direct  his  Church  on  earth,  in  its  spiritual,  travel, 
and  to  CO  unsel  and  advise  in  other  matters  of  im- 
portance, whether  spiritual  or  temporal."  Now  if 
your  Elders  possess  this  power,  1  wish  you  would 
counsel,  advise  and  direct  my  wife,  respecting  her 
duty  to  her  children  and  husband ;  to  fulfil  her  mar- 
riage covenant  j  and  as  you  have  wisdom  and  au- 
thority, to  carry  your  advice  into  effect,  and  as  I 
have  done  nothing  which  can  be  a  cause  of  divorce 
according  to  Christ's  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  I  shall 
hold  you  responsible  for  the  course  which  she  may 
take.  My  wife  believes  in  your  testimony,  and  will 
obey  the  ^ift ;  she  will  therefore,  now  show  to  the 
world  by  her  conduct  what  she  is  taught. 

You  say  in  your  last  publication,  that  the  believ- 
ing wife  is  bound  to  live  with  her  unbelieving  hus- 
band; to  treat  him  with  all  christian  kindness,  and 
to  give  him  no  just  cause  of  offence,    Bat  your  acts 
12 


102 

arc  not  conformable  to  your  sayings ;  you  do  not 
practice  as  you  teach.  You  pretend  to  no  new  inven- 
tions in  church  government;  but  your  practices, 
your  Marches,  are  directly  opposed  to  this  declara- 
tion. You  profess  to  believe  with  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  Savior  of  man- 
kind ;  yet  you  place  beside  him  Ann  Lee,  a  woman, 
to  say  the  least,  of  doubtful  character,  as  a  co-equal 
and  a  co-worker  with  him  in  the  mediatorial  office ! 
Why  did  you  not  tell  the  Legislature  this?  Why 
did  you  say  thfit  you  appealed  to  no  other  book 
than  the  Bible,  for  the  rule  of  your  faith  and  prac- 
tice, when  in  trwth,  you  make  no  more  use  of  it  than 
you  think  necessary  to  make  people  have  faith  in 
you ;  and  to  induce  your  dependants  to  put  their 
trust  in  the  Elders,  and  to  follow  them  whithersoev- 
er they  choose  to  lead.  Indeed  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  you  paid  so  little  regard  to  truth  in  the  exhibi- 
tion of  your  creed  to  the  Legislature. 

You  appear  fair  to  the  world ;  your  conduct  in 
public  seems  to  be  correct ;  your  deportment  meek ; 
your  language  simple,  and  apparently  sincere.  This 
is  your  outside  appearance;  but  alas!  to  my  cost,  I 
have  found  you  too  much  like  "  whited  sepulchres." 
Had  you  not  practised  deception  upon  me  and  my 
wife,  we  should  never  have  joined  your  Society. 
Your  Elders  condemned  a  Cochranite  of  Concord, 
for  walking  from  your  meeting-house  to  the  North- 
house,  before  a  large  number  of  people,  by  the  side 
of  a  young  woman.  They  said,  let  every  man  walk 
with  his  own  wife,  and  shun  the  very  appearance  of 
evil ;  for  we  have  no  faith  in  a  man  who,  u^der  any 
religious  pretext  whatever,  chooses  to  walk  or  ride 
about  with  another  woman  in  preference  to  his  own 
wife.  Such  an  inclination  arises  from  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  devil,  and  is  one  of  his  deepest  plots  to 


103 

lead  men  aslray.  Yet,  1  found  that  you  practised 
the  same  thing,  which  you  condemned  in  such  point- 
ed terms,  in  another.  After  I  moved  into  one  of 
your  large  families,  you,  by  degrees  endeavoured 
to  prevent  tny  associating  with  my  wife,  meeting 
with  her  in  the  union  meetings,  or  wafeing  by  her 
side  in  the  marches  you  have  instituted.  Finding 
you  approved  in  yourselves,  what  you  condemned 
in  others,  and  that  you  had  given  an  untrue  account 
of  your  tenets  and  practices,  I  became  dissatisfied. 
Your  Elders  said  I  might  leave  them  if  I  chose,  but 
they  guessed  I  would  have  a  struggle  to  get  my  wife. 
Your  words  have  proved  too  prophetic  ;  the  strug- 
gle has  indeed  commenced,  and  you  alone  can  tell 
how  long  it  will  continue.  Give  me  my  wife,  whom 
you  have  not  the  shadow  of  right  to  retain,  and  the 
struggle  will  end. 

You  may  reply,  that  you  do  not  detain  my  wife ; 
that  you  use  no  restraint,  or  authority  in  keeping 
her  with  you,  but  that  she  chooses  of  herself,  to 
stay.  You  may  make  the  world  believe  such  a 
declaration,  but  you  cannot  deceive  me.  You  know 
my  wife  is  a  believer  in  your  doctrines,  and  you 
know  that  saying  to  her,  that  you  shall  not  counsel 
her  to  leave  you,  operates  upon  her,  the  same  as  a 
positive  command  to  stay.  After  this  manner  you 
reason ;  if  indeed  reasoning  it  ought  to  be  called. 
The  command  under  the  law,  thou  shall  observe  all 
my  statutes,  is  no  more  positive  and  imperative  than 
the  liberty  which  is  granted  in  the  first  appearing 
of  Christ,  "  whosoever  will  come,  may  come." 
Therefore,  when  liberty  is  granted  to  do  any  thing, 
evtiry  believer  must  consider  it  as  a  positive  com- 
mand to  do  it.  Again :  You  say,  Deity  does  not  re- 
veal himself  to  the  people  generally,  but  to  chosen 
vessels,  or  the  Elders.    So  that  what  the  Jeaders 


104 

counsel  ihcir  followers  lo  do,  ihey  are  in  duty  bound 
io  perform;  and  what  they  will  not  counsel  them  to 
do,  must  not  be  done.  Therefore,  when  you  say  to 
my  wife,  you  do  not  counsel  her  to  go,  you  very  well 
know  it  has  the  same  effect  upon  her,  as  a  positive 
command  to  stay.  Such  a  course  you  take  to  de- 
tain my  wife,  and  yet  avoid  the  penalties  of  the  civil 
law.  An  ingenious  device  to  accomplish  your  un- 
hallowed purposes. 

On  page  288,  of  your  "  Summary  View,"  you  say, 
that  "  many  who  profess  great  union  and  submission 
lo  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  object  to  a  visible  LEAD- 
ER in  the  Church,  they  are  looking  for  Christ  to 
reveal  himself  as  an  invisible  guide  and  teacher  to 
every  individual  in  a  separate  capacity,  without  any 
dependance  on  the  union  of  the  Body ;  and  expect 
to  be  guided  by  the  invisible  spirit  of  Christ  in  their 
own  souls,  separately  and  independant  of  any  visi- 
ble LEADER.  (Shakers'  Answer.)  But  this  doc- 
trine is  contrary  to  every  manifestation  of  the  deal- 
ings af  God  with  man,  and  is  calculated  to  destroy 
the  union  and  harmony  of  the  Church,  by  rendering 
every  individual  independant  of  the  Body."  From 
the  above  extract,  it  is  plain  that  a  Society  thai  be- 
lieves in  such  a  sentiment,  has  great  strength  in  this 
world  with  few  members  ;  because  the  obedience  of 
every  faithful  soul,  is  to  centre  to  the  Ministry  and 
Elders.  Here  you  can  prove  by  your  obedient  sub- 
jects, who  reject  the  inward  teachings  of  the  Spirit 
in  their  own  souls,  as  contrary  to  every  manifesta- 
tion of  the  dealings  of  God  with  man,  what  you 
feel  a  gift  to.  And  we  find  that  where  husbands 
and  wives  have  lived  in  love  and  peace  all  of  their 
days,  till  they  have  set  out  to  live  with  you,  that 
some  have  obeyed  your  pretended  Gospel  to  that 
degree,  as  to  make  void  the  law  ot  God  through 


105 

faith,  and  lo  scandalize  their  bosom  companions  as 
much  as  they  can,  to  prove  their  hatred  to  them ; 
when  they  have  acknowledged  that  they  always 
hare  used  each  other  well  in  every  respect.  The 
public  can  see  whether  this  Christ  is  a  true  Christ 
era  false  one,  by  your  works;  or  whether  Pope 
has  made  his  second  appearing. 

You  say  that  Ann  Lee  was  willing  to  do  any 
thing  for  her  husbind,  that  either  reason,  justice,  or 
humanity  required  ;  and  you  have  said  that  Ann  is 
a  pattern  of  righteousness  lo  all  women,  as  much  as 
Jesus  Christ  was  to  all  men.  Is  this  spirit  gone  ? 
or  has  the  stream  rose  higher  than  the  fountain  ? 

Perhaps  you  may  say  that  this  letter  is  written 
to  persecute  you ;  and  will  say  that  all  manner  <>( 
evil  was  to  be  spoken  of  the  lollowers  of  Christ. 
But  this  was  to  be  falsely.  Jac&b  Osgood  says, 
that  he  has  got  the  Gospel,  and  all  mankind  must 
come  lo  his  Society  and  confess  their  sins,  or  be  dam- 
ned; and  this  is  the  sentiment  of  the  Cochran  So- 
ciety :  and  for  a  proof  of  their  statement,  they  say, 
that  all  manner  of  evil  is  spoken  of  them  falsely, 
and  that  they  have  been  actually  to  prison,  as  real- 
ly as  Ann  Lee  has,  for  their  testimony  against  sin. 

An  answer  to  this  is  required,  and  I  will  write  to 
you  again  if  my  health  is  spared. 


LETTER   TO  MARY  H.  CLARK. 

Canterbury^  August  8,  1824. 
Dearly  beloved  and  respected  companion — As  1  feel  an 
interest  in  your  welfare,  both  here  and  hereafter,  1  wish 
to  inform  you  that  I  have  not  forgotten  you,  althcugh 
we  are  separated  from  each  other's  company  at  pres- 
ent ;  but  I  hope  the  time  will  soon  arrive  when  we  shall 
enjoy  each  other's  company,  and  our  little  children  the 
care  and  attention  of  their  mother,  who  they  long  to 


106 

see.  I  have  hired  them  boarded  in  Sandwich,  at  Enoch 
Hoag's,  and  give  him  fifty  dollars  a  year  for  their  board, 
:md  I  find  their  clothes.  I  have  the  privilege  of  see- 
ing them  every  week.  They  often  meet  me,  and  ask 
when  you  are  coming  to  see  them,  and  say  it  is  a  great 
while  since  they  saw  you  ;  and  will  often  burst  into 
tears,  and  say  they  are  afraid  that  they  shall  never  see 
their  mother.  These  babes  are  not  without  natural 
affections  ;  they  say  that  the  people  use  them  well 
where  they  live,  and  that  they  do  not  want  to  come  to 
the  Shakers  to  live  ;  but  want  yon  to  come  where  they 
are  and  live,  i  have  provided  a  house  for  us  to  live 
in,  and  I  wish  you  would  consent  to  believe  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  instead  of  Ann  Lee  and  her  elders.  I  know 
that  you  never  received  this, sentiment  of  the  Shakers 
frpm  the  Bible,  nor  from  any 'light  of  God  revealed  in 
youir  own  conscience  to  condemn  the  doctrine  of  the 
Bible  ;  for  God  is  an  unchanf, eable  Being,  and  has  re- 
vealed his  law  in  Zion,  according  to  the  Apostle's  dec- 
laration, for  he  says,  "  God  who  at  sundry  times  and  in 
divers  manners  spake  to  our  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath 
in  these  LAST  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son,  whom 
he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all  things,  by  whom  also  he 
made  the  worlds  ;  who  being  the  brightness  of  his  glo- 
ry and  the  EXPRESS  image  of  his  person,*'  &c.  it  ap- 
pears plain  from  the  language  of  the  Apostle,  that  ^nn 
Lee  was  not  revealed  to  fill  up  the  image  of  Deity,  by 
his  saying  that  the  Son  of  God  was  the  express  IMAGE 
of  his  person ;  nor  her  Elders  to  send  forth  the  law 
from  Zion  in  these  last  days,  contrary  to  what  the  word 
of  God  revealed  through  the  holy  Apostles  in  these 
last  days.  If  Christ  had  meant  that  we  were  to  forsake 
all,  even  our  lawful  duties,  to  inherit  eternal  life, 
he  never  would  have  told  his  followers  to  have  render- 
ed to  all  their  dues,  custom  to  whom  custom,  fear  to 
whom  fear,  honor  to  whom  honor  is  due.  It  appe.trs 
plain  from  the  Shakers'  writings,  that  Ann  Lee  was  a 
pattern  of  righteousness  to  all  ^vcreii,  as  much  as  Jesas 
Christ  was  to  all  men,  and  th&uhc  caipe  to  America  in 


107 

1774,  with  her  husband  and  a  number  of  their  follow- 
ers ;  that  her  husband  was  a  believer  in  Christ's  second 
appearing  ;  that  soon  after  he  fell  away,  and  wished 
her  to  live  with  him  again  as  she  used  to  live.  Her 
Ministry  say,  on  the  16th  page  of  their  Summary  View, 
that  Ann  said  she  was  willing  to  do  any  thing  for  him, 
which  justice,  reason  or  humanity  required.  Is  this  the 
Increase  of  Ann's  gospel  to  travel  to  that?  They 
are  not  willing  to  do  any  thing  that  justice,  reason  or 
humanity  requires,  and  is  this  the  increase  of  light  that 
they  can  do  so  and  feel  no  remorse  of  conscience  ? 
If  in  one  thing  a  person  can  make  void  the  law  through 
faith,  they  can  in  another,  and  feel  contented,  and  by 
being  led  by  blind  guides,  will  grow  darker  and  darker, 
so  as  to  call  good  evil,  and  evil  good — call  light  dark- 
ness, and  darkness  light,  &c.  If  it  be  a  sin  for  a  person 
to  set  out  with  you  to  that  degree  as  to  break  the  mar- 
riage covenant,  so  as  you  can  say  the  Lord's  prayer, 
Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors,  forgive 
me  this  sin  if  you  wish  to  be  forgiven,  I  could  not  in 
conscience  leave  my  children  to  be  brought  up  to  hate 
me,  nor  to  forsake  me  io  my  old  age  ;  nor  to  be  taught 
to  believe  it  their  duty  to  follow  the  Elders'  counsel  in 
disbelieving  the  Bible,  and  to  make  no  more  use  of  it 
than  an  old  almanack,  or  a  mere  history  of  past  events  ; 
and  to  believe  that  the  Elders  were  endowed  with  great- 
er light  than  the  Apostles  were,  when  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

If  it  is  right  for  a  man  to  forsake  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren'^ and  to  give  all  his  earnings  to  somebody  else,  or 
to  spend  his  time  so  that  his  family  must  suffer  for  want 
of  his  kind  attention,  saying  he  is  to  forsake  all  for  the 
Gospel,  and  he  shall  take  no  thought  for  the  morrow, 
fcr  whosoever  Christ  makes  free  is  free  indeed,  even 
from  all  of  h's  lawful  duties ;  then  it  is  right  for  the 
woman  ;  yea,  even  for  you. 

I  do  act  wantonly  arraign  you  at  the  bar  of  the 
public,  but  j(  IS  time  to  speak  plainly  in  this  case,  ai 
1  have  suffered  much  in  my  mind  wheo  I  look  back  to 


108 

«ee  when  we  had  each  other's  company  and  social  affec- 
tions, and  the  light  of  our  own  conscience  was  to  make 
each  other  happy  and  comfortable  in  this  life,  and  to 
be  prepared  to  leave  this  world  for  an  everlasting  eter- 
nity. We  believed  in  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man,  the  man  Christ  Jesus.  Whilst  this 
was  our  faith,  we  lived  happy  together,  and  strove  to 
provide  for  each  other  ail  that  laid  in  our  power  ;  but 
being  led  astray  by  the  Shakers  to  believe  in  them  as 
the  true  ministers  of  Christ,  how  soon  the  scene  chang- 
ed !  We  were  not  allowed  to  let  each  other  know  our 
trials  after  we  went  in  amongst  them  to  live,  and  the 
greatest  gift  was  to  set  husbands  against  their  wives, 
and  wives  against  their  husbands,  and  to  forsake  them, 
and  to  be  more  distant  there  than  any  where  else.  Many 
have  proved  this  by  their  works  and  words,  and  said 
that  against  their  companions  that  was  no  love  or  rever- 
ence in  according  to  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  There- 
fore, I  wish  you  to  hand  this  letter  to  your  ministry, 
and  counsel  them  in  future  t©  take  in  none  but  those 
that  do  hate  their  relations  to  that  degree  as  to  choose  a 
stranger  rather  than  a  relation  ;  as  there  are  many  now 
that  have  not  moved  into  their  Society,  that  have  travel- 
ed out  of  natural  affections,  and  have  proved  their  hatred 
by  their  works,  and  are  more  kind  to  those  that  the  law 
or  gospel  does  not  require,  than  they  are  where  it  does 
require  it — Such  ones  could  say,  Mother's  gospel  or 
yoke  is  eas}-^,  and  her  burden  is  light.  And  now,  that 
they  will  n»t  do  any  thing  more  for  them,  so  that  all 
mankind  shall  know  that  they  believe  in  the  Elders 
and  obey  them,  and  loathe  their  husbands  and  children, 
and  will  not  live  with  them,  nor  work  for  them. 

it  is  true  I  am  no  Shaker,  but  I  do  not  feel  to  hate  you 
or  to  scandalize  you  in  the  leds<  degree.  I  have  own- 
ed before  those  evidences  that  1  took  to  the  Shakers^ 
and  you,  that  we  always  lived  in  love  and  peace  togeth- 
er, and  you  owned  the  same,  and  that  1  always  used  you 
well  in  every  respect.  I  do  not  expect  you  will  ever 
contradict  this,  unless  you  are  taught  to  by  your  Elders, 
who  you  have  agreed  to  obey. 


109 

Had  I  requested  3'ou  to  come  and  live  with  me  and 
Ihc  children,  and  to  live  under  a  mistress,  I  should  not 
have  expected  you  to  have  come  ;  but  this  is  not  the 
case  :  I  wish  you  to  come  and  fulfil  your  lawful  duties, 
and  no  longer  make  void  the  law  through  faith  in  Ann 
Log.         From  your  loving  companion, 

R.  I.  CLARK. 

Mary  II.  Clark. 

TO  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN. 

Wc  the  subscribers  hereby  certify,  that  Robert  I. 
Clark  resided  in  this  town  and  vicinity,  a  number 
of  years,  and  while  here,  he  Avas  an  industrious, 
prudent,  economical  young  man,  and  sustained  an 
irreproachable  moral  character;  and  after  having 
entered  into  the  married  state,  always  understood 
he  made  ample  provision  for  his  family. 

CHARLES  WHITE,  Town  Clerk, 
DANIEL  HOIT, 
SAMUEL  AMBROSE. 
Sandwich,  May  29,  1824. 

Strafford,  ss.  May,  29, 1824. 

Personally  appearing  Samuel  Ambrose,  and  made 
solemn  oalh,  that  the  above  declaration,  by  him 
subscribed,  is  true. 

Before  me,  DANIEL  HOIT,  Jus.  Peace, 

PAUL  WENTWORTH,    \  Selectmen  of 
JOHNSON  D.  QUIMBY,  \  Sandwich. 
B.  M.  BEAN,  Jus.  Peace. 
JACOB  MARSTON,  Cilizcn  of  Meredith. 
ASAHEL  ADAMS, 
NEAL  M'GAFFEY, 
Representatives  of  Sandwich.^  J^.  H. 
The  above  named  have  been  personally  acquaint- 
ed with  R.  I.  Clark,  from  1812  to  this  dale,  and  for 
about  five  years  lived  in.  said  town. 
K 


110 

Meredilh^  June  22,  1824. 

This  may  certify,  that  I  lived  in  the  Society  of 
Shakers  fifteen  or  sixteen  years,  and  when  I  went 
among  them  ihcy  pretended  to  believe  in  the  Scrip- 
tures of  truth,  and  that  there  was  no  other  name 
given  under  heaven  nor  amongst  men  whereby  wc 
could  be  saved,  but  by  the  name  of  Jesus.  But  in 
process  of  time,  the  Elders  said  that  the  Scriptures 
was  not  the  word  of  God,  but  a  mere  history  of 
past  events,  and  that  the  word  of  God  was  in  them, 
and  that  a  full  sanation  was  not  known  till  Ann  Lee 
revealed  it,  and  obeying  the  Elders  was  obeying 
God  or  Christ  in  his  Second  Appearing ;  that  the 
Apostles  were  not  born  again,  and  could  not  be,  un- 
til the  Gospel  was  f)reached  to  them  through  Mother 
and  her  Elders  in  the  world  of  spirits.  I  have  often 
heard  Mary  H.  Clark,  who  I  believe  to  be  an  hon- 
est woman,  say  that  her  husband,  R.  L  Clark,  was 
always  very  kind  to  hrr,  and  always  used  her  well 
in  ever}'^  respect ;  and  1  have  heard  the  Elders  say, 
that  Robert  and  Mary  were  two  very  honest  per- 
sons, and  always  understood  that  they  bore  this 
character  where  they  have  lived.  The  Elders,  in 
their  union  meeting,  generally  meet  together  two' 
men  and  two  womrn,  which  Avere  examples  for  the 
family,  but  they  did  not  feel  a  gift  for  the  rest  of  the 
family  to  be  so  free  together  as  they  were  !  and  in 
the  march  the  Elder  Brother  walked  with  his  spir- 
itual Elder  Sister,  and  triught  us  that  we  must  hate 
our  natural  relations,  and  prove  it  by  our  works. 

I  believed  them  to  be  a  very  hidden  and  deluded 
people,  and  left  them  in  May  l:»st ;  yet  I  believe 
there  are  a  number  of  conscientious  people  among 
the  Shakers,  which  live  in  obedience  to  what  they 
are  taught  by  the  Elders. 

ANNA  RUNDLET. 

Witness,  Jonathan  Lapp,  Betst  Ladd, 


>^^ 


111 

Remarks  on  the  Shakers''  principles  of  virgin  purity^  in 
iheir  Summary  Viczo^ published  ?'n  1 823,  pages  274 
and  275. 

Besides  the  fanaticism,myslicism  and  blasphemy, 
in  making  Ann  Lee  superior  to  Jesus  Christ,  gener- 
ally through  the  book,  in  these  pages  there  are  prin- 
ciples called  moral  virtues,  which  sap  and  destroy 
the  foundation  of  all  social  affection  and  civil 
government.  Wc  must  absolutely  hate  all  cm* 
natural  relations.  Not  merely  love  them  less  than 
God,  but  hate  and  despise  and  forsake  them  as  the 
worst  of  enemies,  to  be  a  Shaker.  This  must  be 
proved  by  our  works.  Men  must  hate  their  wives 
— wives  their  husbands — parents  their  children,  and 
children  their  parents.-  This  hatred  must  be  mani- 
fested by  all  their  words,  signs,  gestures  and  actions, 
by  which  we  show  our  hatred  to  our  worst  and  bit- 
terest enemies.  Passing  over  the  blasphrm.ous  sneer' 
of  the  nble  in  page  275,  which  reaches  to  our  Sa- 
viour in  the  garden  and  on  the  cross,  who  had 
something  to  submit  at  the  last  hour  to  his  Father  ; 
what  civil  government  on  earth  can  subsist,  counte- 
nancing such  principles  and  works  ?  Suppose  all 
the  Legislators  on  earth  should  combine  to  enact 
laws,  that  parents  should  hate  their  children  and 
forsake  them,  and  so  of  the  rest  of  their  relations, 
could  their  laws  be  maintained  or  executed,  unless 
under  the  dominion  of  Ann  Lee  ?  What  a  Millen- 
ium indeed,  if  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  should 
enlist  under  Ann  Lee,  and  hate  every  one  his  father, 
mother,  wife  and  children  !  What  a  spectacle  !  If  it 
shocks  us  to  the  very  soul,  why  should  a  Society 
be  tolerated  in  the  bosom  of  the  best  and  most  cn- 
Tigllitened  civil  ^government  on  the  globe — a  Society 
which  does,  by  profession  and  practice  in  open  day, 
tear  and  rend  the  dearest  relations- on  earth   from 


V 


112 

ono  another,  and  teach  them  to  hate  each  other, 
and  separate  and  abuse  each  other,  under  the  idea 
of  worshipping  God  in  Ann  Lee  and  her  ministry. 
Rights  of  conscience  con  extend  no  farther  ihan  the 
mere  worship  of  (hat  God  who  formed  all  the  en- 
dearing ties  of  nature,  and  ordained  civil  govern- 
ment for  the.beiiefil  of  man.  A  family  was  the  first 
society  th(»^t*\'cr  was  formed  on  earth,  and  is  the 
origin  of  all  other  societies,  civil  or  sacred  ;  andean 
it  be  for  the  benefit  of  civil  society  to  indulge  a  body 
of  people,  whose  principles  and  practices  tend  to 
subvert  and  destroy  the  first  principles  of  all  social 
felicity  ?  Our  legislators  have  a  right,  and  are 
bound  by  their  oath  and  the  Constitution,  to  protect 
all  in  the  enjoyments  of  their  civil  and  natural  privi- 
leges ;  but  they  are  not  bound  to  allow  robbery  and 
deception  in  regard  to  the  dearest  enjoyments  of 
life,  though  it  may  come  from  the  authority  of 
Mother  Ann. 

To  enlightened  minds,  all  the  talk  of  voluntary 
action  in  their  dedication,  (see  pages  54  and  56) 
amounts  to  nothing,  when  it  is  rerollccted  what  arts, 
sophistry  and  perversion  of  the  Bible  is  practised 
to  obtain  this  voluntary  consent.  We  may  type 
and  figure  the  Bible  into  as  many  shapes  as  there 
are  in  a  Shaker  dance,  and  after  all  this,  we  can 
never  have  authority  to  violate  our  previous  obliga- 
tions to  obey  the  laws  of  nature,  civil  scciety,  or 
God.  SAMUEL  HIDDEN. 


The  Rev.   Samuel  Hidden  is  a  worthy  minister, 
settled  in  Tamwortb,  N.  H. 


1j  io^^^^^fM^-^  /' 


i 


